Abstract:
Sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA) remains the region
with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS globally,
accounting for about two-thirds
of
people living with HIV/AIDS.1 Despite significant
progress in scaling up HIV testing and
treatment services in the region, linkage to
HIV care remains a significant challenge.
According to the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in
2019, only 81% of people living with HIV
in SSA knew their HIV status, and only 68%
of those diagnosed were on antiretroviral
therapy (ART).2 Poor linkage to HIV care
is a major barrier to achieving the UNAIDS
95-95-
95
targets, which aim to diagnose 95%
of people living with HIV, put 95% of those
diagnosed on ART and achieve viral suppression
in 95% of those on ART by 2030.
