Case-finding Effectiveness of HIV Partner Notification Service in a High-volume Facility in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Partner Notification Service (PNS) Has Been A Long-Standing Component Of The HIV/AIDS Control Programs And A Keep Part Of The Innovative Approaches To Achieve Epidemic Control. Many Programs Around The World And Facilities, Especially In Nigeria, Have Been Scaling Up The Strategy. The Study Reviewed The Activities Of Partner Notification Services In The University Of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Between January 2019 And December 2019. A Retrospective Cohort Analysis Of Client’s Folders, Registers, And The Electronic Medical Record Was Done. A Total Of 451 Clients With HIV Infection (194 New Positives And 257 Virally Unsuppressed Clients) Were Interviewed. The Majority Of The Clients (86.2%) Accepted The Offer Of Partner Notification Service And Elicited 457 Partners (1: 1.2 Partners), 388 (84.9%) Were Notified Of Their Risk Of Exposure To HIV. Of The 323 Partners That Were Reached, 97 (30%) Previously Knew Their HIV-Positive Status, 62 (19.2%) Were Newly Diagnosed, And 164 (50.8%) Tested Non-Reactive. The Total HIV Testing Yield Was 3.8% (207 Positives From 5394 HIV Test Done), Index Testing Done Through Partner Notification Service Had The Highest Yield At 27.4%, Then Voluntary Testing And Counselling At 10.1%, Followed TB Clinic HTS At A Yield Of 2.9%. Other Testing Points Had A Yield Of ≤ 1 %. The Study Supports Many Other Similar Studies In Demonstrating The Effectiveness Of Partner Notification Service As A Key Strategy In Achieving Epidemic Control Of HIV/AIDS. It Is Also Effective In The Management Of Scarce Resources That Currently Plagues Many Developing Nations Like Nigeria.