Barriers and facilitators to implementing six monthly multi-month dispensing of antiretroviral therapy in two urban HIV clinics during the COVID-19 Era in Malawi
Author Information
Author(s): Rachel Chamanga, Agatha Bula, Denview Magalasi, Stella Mahuva, Mulinda Nyirenda, Kwasi Torpey, Thulani Maphosa, Mitch Matoga
Primary Institution: Malawi HIV Implementation Scientist Training Program, Lilongwe, Malawi
Hypothesis
What are the barriers and facilitators to implementing six-monthly multi-month dispensing of antiretroviral therapy in Malawi during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Conclusion
The study identified low drug supply and lack of understanding of the policy as major barriers to implementing six-monthly multi-month dispensing of antiretroviral therapy, while facilitators included orientation meetings, teamwork, and the use of electronic medical records.
Supporting Evidence
- 96% of healthcare workers reported that transitioning to 6-MMD helped reduce patient visits to the clinic.
- 88% noted that the 6-MMD strategy helped reduce the workload at the health facility.
- 73% of participants in the survey were female.
Takeaway
This study looked at how healthcare workers in Malawi managed to give out HIV medicine for six months at a time during COVID-19, finding that while there were some problems, there were also many good things that helped them do it better.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using quantitative surveys and qualitative key informant interviews conducted at two high-volume primary health facilities in Blantyre, Malawi.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the selection of healthcare workers who were already familiar with the 6-MMD policy.
Limitations
The study was limited to urban health facilities, which may not represent challenges faced in rural settings.
Participant Demographics
Of the 77 healthcare workers, 73% were female and 29% were nurses.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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