Updated Recommendations for Determining the Number of People with HIV Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy, September 2021

Abstract

To reach the 95-95-95 targets towards HIV elimination, it is essential to have high quality data to guide programmatic actions in the best possible way. Along these lines, accurate knowledge on the number of people on antiretroviral treatment (ART) allows to assess the effectiveness of HIV treatment services and determine key aspects of their planning, such as the needs for drugs and other relevant supplies. However, it is common to find inaccuracies in the estimated number of people on ART. This number may be underestimated when people receiving ART through other subsectors of the health system - prisons, private services or social security- are not counted in the national total. Likewise, and more frequently, the number of people on ART may be overestimated if the update of the records does not take into account people who have died, have emigrated, have been transfered to other HIV care centers or have abandoned treatment. The Consolidated HIV Strategic Information Guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO) establish recommendations to improve the monitoring and management of HIV programs and include guidance to better understand the number of people on ART. This technical note summarizes the consolidated guidelines and adapts them to the context of Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to adequately monitor the number of people on ART. For this purpose, guidance is presented on the indicators and the methodology to know more precisely the number of people who are in ART.