Notes from the Field: Impact of the COVID-19 Response on Scale-Up of HIV Viral Load Testing — PEPFAR-Supported Countries, January–June 2020

摘要

CDC and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are committed to maintaining an international response to the HIV epidemic even as countries face the challenge of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic ( 1 ). The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has set the following 95-95-95 targets for HIV infection control by 2030: 1) ensure that 95% of HIV-positive persons are aware of their HIV status, 2) ensure that 95% of these persons receive antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 3) facilitate viral load testing and suppression (viral load ≤1,000 HIV RNA copies per mL of blood) among 95% of persons with HIV infection ( 2 ). PEPFAR and international donors support 50 countries by investing in diagnostic testing, ART, and viral load testing to monitor treatment outcomes. Recent COVID-19–related stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions have affected essential HIV services worldwide. In the face of these challenges, CDC and PEPFAR are committed to sustaining the momentum necessary to achieve the target goal of facilitating testing and viral suppression among 95% of persons with HIV.