From April 6 to 9, 2022, the 11th edition of the International Francophone Conference on HIV, Sexual Health, Hepatitis and Emerging Infections was held in Marseille, France.
This conference was an opportunity for the ATLAS project to present its final operational and research results and to discuss transition and scale-up issues with our partners, Dr. Thiam, Executive Secretary of the CNLS in Senegal, Dr. Dembele Keïta, Director General of ARCAD Santé Plus in Mali, and Professor Ehui, Coordinating Director of the PNLS in Côte d’Ivoire, during a symposium.
Autodépistage du VIH en Afrique de l’Ouest : résultats finaux et leçons apprises du projet ATLAS.
Introduction, Dr Luis Pizarro, Chef d’équipe, gestion de programmes, Unitaid
Dr Safiatou Thiam (Secrétaire exécutive du CNLS, Sénégal) : Contribution et impact de l’autodépistage sur le dépistage du VIH au Sénégal ?
Pr Eboi Ehui (Directeur coordonnateur du PNLS, Côte d’Ivoire) : Après ATLAS, quelles stratégies complémentaires pour le passage à l’échelle de l’autodépistage du VIH en Côte d’Ivoire ?
Dr Bintou Dembélé Keita (Directrice générale ARCAD Santé Plus, Mali) : Comment l’exemple de l’autodépistage alimente la réflexion sur l’autosoin, notamment pour les populations les plus vulnérables ?
Dr Luis Pizarro, UnitaidClémence Doumenc Aïdara, ATLAS, SolthisJoseph Larmarange, ATLAS, IRDRound tableDr Nayé Bah, WHO
Representatives from the ATLAS project were also invited by the Global Fund and Unitaid to participate in their sessions to present community engagement at a Unitaid symposium and the complementarity of Unitaid and Global Fund actions at a booth session.
Odé Kanku Kabemba at Global Fund boothClémence Doumenc Aidara, at UNITAID symposium
The ATLAS – Solthis stand was also a place for meetings and discussions, particularly on the subject of self-testing, which aroused the interest of many participants.
The research teams were also honored with four posters, one of which was commented, and one oral communication.
The ATLAS project is virtually participating in the 21st International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STIs in Africa.
Clémence Doumenc Aïdara, project director, and Joseph Larmarange, scientific coordinator, will present the operational and research results to date during the symposium “Beyond Key Populations: Secondary Distribution of HIV Self-Testing Kits in West Africa”.
In this symposium to be held on Tuesday, December 7 at 10:36 am GMT, Dr. Camilla Anoma (Espace Confiance, Côte d’Ivoire) and Dr. Youssouf Diallo (Cellule de lutte contre le sida, les IST et les hépatites virales, Ministère de la Santé, Mali), will present their feedback on the operational implementation of the project. Testimonials from providers and users will also be presented.
The ATLAS project is also present with two posters:
Reaching key and peripheral populations: a phone-based survey of HIV self-test users in West Africa, par Arsène Kra Kouassi (CEPED / IRD) et al. and
Modelling the population-level impact of a national HIV self-testing strategy among key populations in Côte d’Ivoire, par Romain Silhol (Imperial College of London) et al.
On October 12-14, the ATLAS project held its third and final Consortium meeting.
On this occasion, all of the project’s operational, institutional, and research partners, as well as representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), and representatives of recipients of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis, were gathered in Saly, Senegal.
On the agenda were an update on the overall progress of the project, a presentation of research findings, and collaborative work around transition and scale-up action plans.
After a long period of 18 months during which the teams had not been able to exchange face-to-face because of the Covid-19 pandemic, all the project actors were satisfied to be able to share their experiences again and to discuss together the lessons learned and results.
The first day was an opportunity to share information on the challenges / progress of HIV self-testing (ADVIH) at the international level and more specifically in West and Central Africa, data presented by Anne Bekelynck, from WHO. As a result, between 2017 and 2021, nearly four times as many countries have implemented HIV-DNA programs, with 136 countries now having at least one strategy in development (including 20% of West and Central African countries), compared to 112 when ATLAS was launched. According to the WHO, ADVIH should now be offered as an approach to HIV testing services, not as a complementary strategy.
Clémence Doumenc Aïdara, ATLAS Project Director, and the country project managers then presented the status of the implementation of the activities, including more than 300,000 kits distributed, almost half of which were in Côte d’Ivoire, and two-thirds of which were targeted at female sex workers. The project’s operational lessons also tell us that nearly half of the kits were given to women between the ages of 25 and 49, that more than 1,400 people have been trained in dispensing, and that 170 sites are now operational.
The second day was devoted to research. Since the beginning of the project, studies have been carried out in five workpackages to document the social, epidemiological, economic and political impact of the introduction of ADVIH in the three countries of action of the ATLAS project. After two years of study, initial results are available, demonstrating that self-testing is a feasible, sustainable, and impactful HIV testing strategy, reaching people who were not reached by conventional testing strategies. These research findings, which were previously discussed on October 7-8 at the research meeting, also held in Senegal, are generating high expectations among partners for reliable data to inform the next steps in national self-testing strategies.
Scaling up and transition were on the agenda of the third day, and were the subject of collaborative work, allowing the elaboration of the first versions of transition plans in each country, in order to facilitate the operationalization of this transition, and thus identifying the obstacles and opportunities to the implementation of a self-testing strategy at the national scale. The ATLAS project’s support for national scale-up in the final 9 months of the project was also discussed to identify our partners’ expectations.
The ATLAS project is attending the 11th edition of the International AIDS Society conference (July 18th-21st).
SATELLITE SESSION:
HIV self-testing, what next? Sunday, July 18, 2021, at 17:00 GMT (Channel 4)
With Joseph Larmarange (Ceped / IRD, scientific coordinator of ATLAS project): Key populations and beyond: using HIV self-testing to further reach vulnerable groups in West Africa. And the intervention of Pr Eboi Ehui (Coordinating Director of the National AIDS Program in Côte d’Ivoire), as a participant in the roundtable: Investing in self-testing in West Africa.
Since the beginning of the project, the research team, coordinated by Joseph Larmarange (CEPED-IRD), has been working on five work packages (qualitative survey on key populations, anthropological survey on the screening of partners of PLwHIV, coupon survey, economic component, modeling component). With some preliminary data from this research now available, the ATLAS project teams organized dissemination meetings in April and May as part of the knowledge transfer activities.
These workshops brought together the project’s national partners, as well as actors involved in screening and more broadly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and made it possible to present the operational advances, involving the ATLAS project partners who also presented their own feedback. Preliminary research results were also made available to all stakeholders in order to provide them with useful elements for the implementation of self-testing strategies. Marc d’Elbée, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, presented the economics aspects of the project, including an expected reduction in costs from $17 to $10 per kit provided at scale. Odette Ky-Zerbo, from the TransVIHMI/IRD IMU, presented data from the key population survey conducted at the beginning of the project. They expressed a rather favorable attitude, but with some doubts due to lack of knowledge. Additional components of this survey are being conducted to assess changes in the perception of HIV self-testing following its deployment. Finally, Sokhna Boye, from CEPED / IRD, presented the results of the survey she conducted on the self-testing of partners of PLwHIV, which revealed the difficulty of proposing HIV self-testing to one’s partner when the status has not been shared, and the need to work on the patient’s circuit in order to avoid longer consultations by providing the self-testing kit. The discussions that followed these presentations allowed the ATLAS project teams to specify the modalities of its knowledge transfer strategy, in order to ensure that the data disseminated will be adapted to the needs and recipients, and their appropriation facilitated. Deliberative workshops will be held between late 2021 and early 2022 to continue knowledge transfer, and further presentations by ATLAS investigators will take place at the International AIDS Society conference (virtual conference, July 18-21).
Find the presentations of the preliminary research data (in French) :
Now in its final stage, the ATLAS project is continuing its capitalization process. The objective is to document the good practices but also the challenges of the implementation of the project in order to promote and facilitate the development of new HIV self-testing initiatives (HIVSTD).
In a context of increasing integration of HIV testing into testing strategies in West and Central Africa, particularly in the context of the implementation of the 2021-2023 Global Fund grants, the availability of contextualized knowledge on this innovation is essential to ensure its successful implementation.
As the main experience in deploying ADVIH in West Africa, the ATLAS project has therefore decided to share its experiences, particularly in terms of cultural and epidemiological contexts, but also in terms of the specificities of ATLAS in terms of delivery channels and target populations.
The first two capitalization sheets are devoted to the integration of ADVIH into national systems on the one hand, and the creation of user demand on the other.
The first documents the approach used by ATLAS to ensure the integration of HIV testing and to raise awareness among HIV stakeholders of the challenges associated with integrating HIV testing as a complementary testing strategy. The second contributes to improving practices in terms of promoting and raising awareness about HIV testing and identifies the challenges and good practices for creating a sustainable demand for self-testing among the hardest-to-reach populations.
These capitalization sheets are available in free access on our website.
In order to prepare the transition of the ATLAS project and the scaling up at the national level, its teams, with the support of WHO, have accompanied the Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action (MSAS) and the National AIDS Council (CNLS) in the development of the National Strategy on Self-Testing and the Practical Guide to HIV Self-Testing. As Dr. Sanata Diallo, head of the ATLAS project in Senegal, pointed out, “the strategy provides the necessary guidelines and the guide allows for its operationalization in the field”. Officially handed over on January 25, 2021, the strategy comes, according to Dr. Safiatou Thiam, Executive Secretary of the CNLS, “to complete the document Policy, Standards and Protocols of HIV testing services published in 2018 and allows to define the strategic orientations adapted to our context as well as the development of the national policy”. She also recalled that since the beginning of the implementation of the ATLAS project in 2018, “the results obtained are encouraging”, and that this complementary strategy expands the range of screening. A necessary step because “the classic strategy is not enough, so we need to diversify our offer and cover all the needs.”
Dr Safiatou Thiam receives the National Strategy from Dr Sanata Diallo
In addition to the strategy, it was also decided to develop a practical user guide. As Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, Minister of Health and Social Action and author of the preface, points out, “gaps persist [in screening, editor’s note] and have increased in key and vulnerable populations. This is why Senegal has adopted the HIV self-testing strategy to reach these targets. MSAS has therefore decided to develop this guide to help stakeholders in our country to appropriate this innovative HIV testing strategy”. Professor Cheick Tidiane Ndour, Director of the Division of AIDS Control and Sexually Transmitted Infections (DLSI), also said that the advantage of the practical guide to HIV self-testing in Senegal, officially handed over on March 16, was “to harmonize operational practices within the framework of an innovative strategy. Indeed, he added, “self-testing has aroused great enthusiasm, particularly in the community, and therefore requires the establishment of a framework to implement the strategy on the ground. “
Dr. Karim Diop, Head of the Management and Procurement Office of the DLSI receives the Practical Guide from Papa Alioune Gueye, ATLAS Senegal Technical Manager
The guide describes in concrete terms the strategies and delivery channels chosen by the country and, in particular, sets minimum standards for training, awareness-raising, monitoring and evaluation, and quality assurance for inputs. As part of this transition process, the ATLAS project teams, with technical support from WHO, are currently assisting the Ivorian and Malian health authorities in the development of these same documents. The Malian national strategy and practical guide will be available soon, as the validation workshop took place at the end of February.
The Covid-19 crisis affected the ATLAS project’s intervention countries starting in March 2020. In response to this new disease, governments quickly took strong measures by declaring a state of health emergency and implementing, depending on the country, travel restrictions, gathering limits and curfews. Like the Ebola epidemic in West Africa (2014-2015), the Covid-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on the management of other diseases, focusing attention and increasing mistrust of health facilities, thus causing a drop in attendance.
As early as May 2020, UNAIDS warned of the risk of losing the progress made in recent years[1]. The latest data (October 2020[2]) show a significant decline in HIV testing services in almost all countries.
Thus, it was essential to continue and adapt HIV control activities, including prevention and testing. While working with its various partners to deploy Covid-19 awareness tools, the ATLAS project developed several initiatives to maintain the provision of HIV self-testing kits while ensuring the safety of providers and users. From the provision of personal protective equipment to the adaptation of advanced strategies and the proposal of HIVST kits during the community distribution of antiretrovirals, these adaptations have allowed the ATLAS project teams and partners to continue their activities at an equal or even higher level than that which prevailed before Covid-19.
This adaptation to the situation has proved to be all the more important as self-testing, in addition to being a tool that allows people to be tested when and where they want, also makes it possible to limit physical contact. It is therefore particularly appropriate in this pandemic context to maintain the possibility of knowing one’s HIV status.
In Dakar, Maguette drives an association of sex workers and provides these young women with benevolence and support.
Dakar, in a discreet alleyway, a small house, a little worn out by the years, hides under the leafy mango trees. A young aficionado of Lionel Messi, Barça jersey on his back, comes out with a ball at his feet. “Mommy, if you look for me, I’m playing soccer outside. Mamoudou, 11 years old, is Maguette’s youngest child. He is the pride and joy of Maguette, as are his grandchildren, whose toys are scattered all over the courtyard of his modest home. It is also in this house that Maguette regularly welcomes sex workers who are members of Karlène, the sex workers’ association she drives. “I wasn’t predestined to take care of people, the community fell on me, but today I can’t do without it. »
Maguette. Credit : B. Demeocq / Solthis
Maguette is a mother, a grandmother and a landmark for those around her. “Sex work is tolerated, but the law is obsolete*. Many girls remain in hiding because they refuse to register; even with the card, they can be arrested because soliciting is prohibited. “Community structures are therefore essential for many girls who have little support. Every month, Karlène brings the sex workers together for an awareness session. Self-testing for HIV is one of the topics regularly discussed. “They need to be sensitized and informed. They need to be able to benefit from what we haven’t had. They represent the future, future generations. They must have healthy youth. »
About twenty young women are present that day, smiling, happy to share a moment of non-judging conviviality. Very attentive, they are particularly interested in HIV self-testing. “It’s a practical tool, without needles, without pain,” says one of them. And Maguette confirms: “they have a lot of risky practices, so they use and give HIV self-tests to their peers and clients, because it allows them to test themselves regularly. Then, they call us or the hotline* and are referred to a structure not too close to their home in order not to be stigmatized”.
HIVST awareness session with sex workers at Karlene association. Credit : B. Demeocq / Solthis
Advising, orienting, protecting, such is the daily life of Maguette whose body bears the stigma of fifty years of struggle. “I had a close relative who was a drug user and a person living with HIV. I myself was a sex worker. I joined the association and eventually became its president. I am also vice-president of RENAPOC. Helping is my life. » Thanks to Enda Santé, partner of the ATLAS Project in Senegal, Karlène was able to join the pool of relay associations for the dispensing of HIV self-tests. “Enda has been supporting us for a very long time, and has strengthened us enormously at the community level. This has enabled us to make great progress, by accompanying us in the talk sessions, in the implementation of demedicalized testing. Myself, they have allowed me to acquire a diploma as a medical sales representative. »
The past year has not been without difficulties for Karlène, with the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of activities have stopped,” says Maguette. Girls are working less. I was worried about many of them. We recommended that the barrier measures be respected, but with the situation, it was complicated. They had to eat. It is the survival instinct that dominates. » Moved, but with an irreducible strength in her eyes, Maguette confides: “I will always fight for them, they are counting on me. This is Maguette! »
*In Senegal, sex workers can legally register as such, and thus benefit from a health and other monitoring record. *Anonymous and free toll-free toll-free number: 800 30 30
The coronavirus pandemic has once again demonstrated the importance of investing in health systems, strengthening equitable access to care and improving preparedness for epidemic prevention and control. Presented by Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, Regional Director for Africa of the World Health Organization, this approach is advocated by Solthis, an expert organization in health, which has been working in Africa for years. Read, in french, Dr. Serge Breysse’s opinion, published in the French daily L’Opinion on September 11th.
The ATLAS project was present at the 23rd World Conference on HIV/AIDS
HIV Self-Testing in West Africa: from the Field – Dr Aminata Saran Sidibé (Soutoura, Mali) – Dr Patricia Zougouni (Espace Confiance, Côte d’Ivoire) – Dr Odé Kanku Kabemba (ATLAS Project, Mali)
To see in replay : https://www.psi.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Atlas-Project-HIVST-in-West-Africa.mp4
Satellite Symposium : Towards sustainability and scability of hivst: solutions for low-and middle-income countries
Presentation by Clémence Doumenc Aïdara, Director of the ATLAS project
Presentation by Dr Safiatou Thiam, Executive Secretary of CNLS Senegal
Presentation film HIVST in West Africa
Poster: Challenges of HIV self-tests distribution for index testing in a context where HIV status disclosure is low: preliminary experience of the ATLAS project in Bamako, Mali. Sokhna Boye (Centre for Population and Development, Research Institute for the Développement, Université Paris Descartes, Inserm) et al.
In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the ATLAS Project participates in the response by developing and/or promoting awareness tools adapted for vulnerable populations and those living with HIV.
After participating in equipping their partners with protective equipment; in order to ensure that their exercise could continue under optimal security conditions, the ATLAS Project teams worked, in conjunction with their implementing partners, on the development and implementation of awareness actions. In addition to the posters specifically developed, in collaboration with UNAIDS, for people living with HIV and reminding them of the particular conduct to be observed in the event of uncontrolled HIV infection, the materials published by the health authorities and visuals on the wearing of masks have been reproduced.
Dispensation of ADVIH in Senegal
delivery of protective equipment to our Ivorian partner Blety
In Mali, the ATLAS project supports the measures of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs and supports the broadcasting of awareness spots on community radio stations in French and Bambara on barrier gestures, thus making it possible to reach populations far from mass broadcasting channels. Two listeners of the free information line on COVID-19, hosted by PSI Mali’s KENEYAKO line, which already receives calls for ATLAS HIV self-test kits, are also supported by the Project to inform and orient people on the issue of coronavirus.
Prevention posters for PLWHIV and IDVOC
In Senegal, in order to increase the level of knowledge of the population, the ATLAS Project has financed and developed awareness programmes, broadcast on community radio stations in Mbour, Dakar and Ziguinchor. These weekly programmes, scheduled to be broadcast until the end of July, will systematically cover a reminder on barrier gestures and then devote forty minutes of airtime to a specific theme, accompanied by an expert to present the subject and answer listeners’ questions. While COVID-19, its modes of transmission, epidemiology and symptomatology will of course be discussed, programmes will also be devoted to vulnerabilities and prevention measures, the role of communities and continuity of care for PLWHA and vulnerable populations, the aim being to communicate accurate and accessible information in order to stop community transmissions.
Mbour FM
Dr. Cissé, on Kassumay FM
Listen to the awareness messages of the Malian Ministry of Health and Social Affairs :
In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, the ATLAS Project is adapting its activities and participating in the response by providing support to its implementing partners.
In the context of the fight against HIV, in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal, the ATLAS Project works in close collaboration with health actors, whether institutional or operational, from the public, associative or community sectors. As soon as the first cases of COVID-19 appeared in these countries, the Project undertook to support its partners in adapting their activities, protecting people and raising awareness of barrier gestures to limit the spread of the virus.
Las Palmas health post team receives its endowment
Maintenance of the activities of dispensing HIVST kits and first distributions of protective materials.
Activities to provide HIVST kits have been maintained in all sites where possible, while ensuring the safety of people and compliance with national guidelines aimed at limiting gatherings and respecting barrier gestures in particular. It is indeed essential that, in the context of this epidemic, access to health services remains possible, in complete safety: self-testing is precisely an opportunity to maintain access to knowledge of one’s HIV status while limiting contact. To this end, the ATLAS Project provides its partners with protective equipment, mainly in the form of batches of hydroalcoholic gel and masks, but also hand washing devices in Côte d’Ivoire. As Dr Fatou Seck, Coordinator of the Outpatient Treatment Unit / Addiction Management Unit (UTA/UPAM) in Mbour, Senegal, pointed out, “We are pleased to welcome your donation for the staff and vulnerable populations followed at the Mbour EPS. This will help us to better manage our patients with less risk of contamination by COVID-19. In Senegal, nearly 3,000 bottles of hydroalcoholic gel, 2,000 bottles of liquid soap, 20,000 masks and about 20 non-contact temperature-taking devices have already been given to the partners.
Delivery of kits to the EPS of Mbour, Senegal
Handover of the grant to CTA Dakar
Awareness of barrier gestures
At the same time, and always with a view to preserving the population, special emphasis was placed on raising awareness of barrier gestures and knowledge of coronavirus disease. Thus, in each of its countries of action, the ATLAS Project participates financially in the reproduction of posters to raise awareness of barrier gestures. In Mali, an additional contribution has been allocated to finance radio spots broadcast in local languages on community radio stations. In Senegal, weekly awareness-raising programmes will be produced and broadcast on three community radio stations in the regions of Dakar, Mbour and Ziguinchor where the ATLAS Project is implementing the dispensing of HIV self-test kits.
Specific sensitization on COVID-19 for people living with HIV
Finally, in collaboration with UNAIDS, a poster dedicated to people living with HIV has been developed in order to make them aware of the specific behaviours to adopt in the face of this epidemic, such as the availability of three months of treatment for people on ARVs, or the particular need to respect barrier gestures for people with an unstable HIV infection, as they are more vulnerable to other infections. These posters will be available in our partners’ care centres.
COVID-19 awareness poster for People Living with HIV produced in collaboration with UNAIDS
In the context of the pandemic at #COVID19, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and some of its actors from Babi, Down South and Naija share with us their experiences of confinement: barrier gestures, life as a couple, loneliness, domestic violence, living with HIV, parenthood, social distances, STI prevention, fakes news…
Daniel, star of ShugaBabi, and partner of the ATLAS Project in Côte d’Ivoire, but also Dineo, Leo, Zamo, Bongi, Oga T, are mobilized to bring answers to our questions in this exceptional mini-serie. Find new episodes of MTVShuga Alone Together as well as videos of awareness and advice.
The ATLAS Project is joining the response to COVID-19 in its three countries of operation.
?October 1st – News update #Covid19
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
The New York Times devotes a scientific analysis to the children’s pandemic, including the reasons that seem to preserve them: How Do Children Fight Off the Coronavirus?
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Twice a week, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
Review of an article published by the Global Fund in July, presenting the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on other epidemics, and based on the study: COVID-19 Country Monitoring Tool : DISRUPTIONS IN HIV, TB AND MALARIA PROGRAMS DUE TO COVID-19
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 19th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 18th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 15th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
Today’s focus is on two key resources to help healthcare professionals meet the challenges posed by the pandemic:
Responding to COVID-19 : An application developed by WHO to enable health professionals to access all WHO COVID-19 recommendations, tools and training (EN)
?May 14th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 13th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 12th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 11th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 8th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 7th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?May 6th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
The surprising images of the World seen from the sky in times of confinement : Le COVID-19 vu du ciel –
And always to keep up with the epidemiology : https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.htm
?May 5th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
And always to keep up with the epidemiology : https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.htm
?May 4th – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?April 30 – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?April 29 – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?April 28 – Daily update #Covid19 In the context of the Coronavirus epidemic, a lot of information is circulating and it is sometimes difficult to extract the true from the false. Every day, we offer you a selection of links allowing you to have access to reliable information on the evolution of the pandemic.
?Any questions about COVID-19? Developed by the Solthis teams, by compiling existing resources and contributing our expertise, download our FAQs in French and English on COVID-19
At 66
years old, Maman Koffi shows inexhaustible energy to work to improve the status
of women around the San Pedro region of Côte d’Ivoire, which includes 10
administrative regions and 24 health districts. “I have been through a lot
myself,” she explains. “I bore eight children, but lost four before their fifth
year. I have experienced school pregnancies, home deliveries without medical
assistance, and one of my children died of malaria because he was not taken to
hospital but to the village. “Mama Koffi chose not to let her pain overwhelm
her, but rather to enter midwifery school. “I chose to be a midwife to prevent
this tragedy from happening to others, and I chose to work in the community to
raise awareness and help these mothers. “After her initial training, Maman
Koffi also graduated from the Ecole des Cadres in Côte d’Ivoire and then from a
University Diploma in Mother and Child Health obtained at the René Descartes
University Paris-V in 1996. At the beginning of her career, she and her
colleagues used to contribute when resources were lacking to organize awareness
sessions on women’s, mother and child health, but also on malaria and
tuberculosis prevention, or obstetric fistula. In 1998, “with some of my
sisters, I undertook the creation of the Association for the Management of the
Bardot Delegated Municipal Maternity Hospital (AGEMAB), the only maternity
hospital at that time in the large slum of Bardot, with the aim of relieving
congestion at the Regional Hospital Center (CHR) and contributing to the reduction
of maternal and infant mortality. »
With a view to optimizing the participation of the female community in the
management of the maternity hospital, in 1999 she initiated the creation of the
Association for the Promotion of Women’s, Mother, Child and Family Health
(Aprosam), of which she is still Executive Director today. Also President of
the Women’s Union of San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire, Maman Koffi continues her daily
community work which has enabled her to reach thousands of women, mothers and children
and has recently integrated HIV self-testing kits, as a partner of the ATLAS
Project, into her activities. “We have two mobile clinics to reach female sex
workers (SWs) who are in the agro-industrial areas where the seasonal workers
are working. Self-testing is very well received, especially because these sex
workers did not come to the health centre for fear of being seen. Self-testing
really complements our service offer. “Since October 2019, 980 people have been
made aware of this complementary screening strategy, including 715 women.
Around 50 people have learned their HIV status and have been able to receive
treatment.
These community activities also include the development of income-generating
activities, so that these women can become empowered and fight against the
discrimination they face on a daily basis. “If one, two or three women get
involved in this way, they save children, they save mothers,” says Maman Koffi
while answering one of her incessant phone calls. A community resource, but also
a sympathetic ear and a devoted friend, Maman Koffi has put her life at the
service of women, so that they can free themselves from the barriers that
patriarchy imposes on them. “Today I am a grandmother, twice. But above all I
am the mother of all children in Côte d’Ivoire,” she concludes with a
mischievous smile.
*The month of March was “Zero discrimination against women and girls” day (1st March) and International Women’s Rights Day (8th March). On these occasions, the ATLAS Project chose to highlight the work of Maman Koffi, who, after growing up in a disadvantaged environment, chose not to resign herself and to fight for the health of women, mothers and children.
From 10 to 13 February, all the partners of the ATLAS Project met in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for the second consortium meeting. While the first meeting, held in July 2019 in Saly, Senegal, clarified the standards, procedures and implementation methodologies, this second edition was an opportunity to make an initial assessment of the progress made as the distribution of HIV self-test kits has begun in the three countries where the project is being implemented, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal.
Institutional, implementation and research partners were all gathered to present the progress of their work, their good practices, the difficulties encountered and to reflect on the challenges ahead, particularly in terms of transition and dissemination. As recalled by Dr Blaise Kouamé, representing Professor Eboi Ehui, Director Coordinator of the National AIDS Control Programme in Côte d’Ivoire, “self-screening appears as an opportunity to reach targets that are difficult to reach with routine services. … We are aware that early diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection offers many benefits at both individual and population levels. This second consortium … provides a forum for discussion that will allow us to take stock of the project’s implementation in order to better guide strategies to achieve the objectives. “Objectives are on track, in that all partners have begun dispensing, and are showing increasing dispensing figures: by the end of December 2019, more than 26,000 kits had been dispensed, and all partners have demonstrated their confidence in achieving the objectives by the end of the project. An important part of the consortium meeting was also devoted to research, the various components of which, coordinated by IRD, began in the second half of 2019, and the results of which will feed the operationality of the project. Finally, group work, around three key questions relating to monitoring of self-screening results, notification and delegation of tasks, was organized over half a day in order to reflect together on the main issues for the coming months.
MTV Shuga Babi, our partner in Côte d’Ivoire, presented first season of the show
These meetings between partners remain crucial moments of sharing and exchange in the conduct of the ATLAS project, because its success depends on coordinated and concerted action by all the actors involved. This is a success that everyone hopes to achieve, since access to screening remains the gateway to the other stages of the fight against HIV, access to treatment and viral load control in particular. As emphasized by Dr Brigitte Quenum, UNAIDS Country Director in Côte d’Ivoire, represented by Dr Isabelle Kouamé, “HIV testing gives people the knowledge they need to choose the best treatment options and prevention methods. Knowledge is real power: the power to make the right choices to stay healthy, but also the power to lead a long and productive life. »
The Las Palmas HLM health post in Guediawaye is a small oasis in the hustle and bustle of this densely populated and popular suburb of Dakar, Senegal. Once past the door, this centre resembles a community-based structure like those found far from urban centres and which, far beyond their health mission, also work as a place for meeting, exchange and sharing. As is often the case, the identity of these places is built around those who run them. Here, Mrs Dieumbe Gueye, a midwife in her fifties, has benevolence written in her eyes. The softness of her voice heralds a total devotion to her patients. With word of mouth, the Las Palmas post has quickly become a place where vulnerable people can find a time of peace and empathy. “They know that we are working all the time, and that we take good care of them,” explains Dieumbe Gueye, highlighting the commitment of her team of mediators and nurses.
She has been working at the centre for almost 20 years now. “I used to have ‘stowaways’ in my line of work, and more and more of them, not knowing that they were key populations.” Located in a small, low-traffic street, with a discreet façade and a caring, non-judgemental team, Las Palmas was quickly identified by the most disadvantaged populations as a health, social and economic resource. “I approached my chief, because I was becoming a reference centre for key populations. A year ago, the Las Palmas post officially became a monitoring site for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).” For this woman, who graduated at the top of her class of midwives and worked for a while in the private sector, the personal investment is strong.
“My staff, especially the mediators, need to know the realities on the ground, because we receive many sex workers.” If the first consultations are for a pregnancy or an STI, the care is comprehensive and the follow-up is ensured. Sometimes the follow-up goes far beyond a medical consultation. “If necessary, I help them financially to come to the centre.” Treating patients is a comprehensive approach. Counseling, orientation if necessary, and follow-up are part of her daily life and that of her team. On average, a hundred sex workers consult each month and find confidential and integrated care. “We manage everything ourselves. Sometimes we don’t have enough medicines, but we still have a free stock.” HIV testing is always offered on site. For those who are hesitant, an HIV self-test kit, provided by the ATLAS Project, can be handed over. It is systematically recommended to them for their regular partner, accompanied by counseling: “very good counseling, because that is what guarantees a very good result”. There is no doubt that Dieumbe Gueye and her team, these “devoted mothers”, will continue their mission as long as possible, without any distinction, because as they say, “here, all patients are equal. ”
The ATLAS Project participated in the 19th Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, which took place in Kigali from 2 to 7 December 2019. This conference is an opportunity to get together with other actors in the fight against AIDS and to share current initiatives, to learn about innovations and new recommendations. Having started dispensing in July 2019, the ATLAS Project had initial feedback to share, both in terms of acceptability and operational data.
Our team, composed of members of the ATLAS team, a large delegation from the research team and representatives of our institutional partners participated in the symposium: HIV self-testing looking forward: targeted, scalable and sustainable models for Africa.
ATLAS speakers in the gallery with Robert Matiru, Director of Operations of Unitaid and Peter Godfrey-Faussett, UNAIDS Senior Scientific Advisor and Chair of the STAR and ATLAS Technical Advisory Committee
Clémence Doumenc-Aïdara, Director of the ATLAS Project and Joseph Larmarange, Scientific Coordinator, first spoke on the theme ATLAS Project: adapting HIVST distribution models in West Africa to reach those left behind, before Professor Cheick Tidiane Ndour, Head of the Division of AIDS and STI Control in Senegal, and co-investigator of the ATLAS Project in the country, presented the characteristics and challenges of introducing HIV self-testing in Senegal.
Informal sessions were also held on the HIV Self-testing stand of our partner STAR: on 4 December, on the theme of key populations with interventions by Joseph Larmarange and Anthony Vautier, and on 5 December, with the testimony of our institutional partners. Professor Ehui, Coordinating Director of the National AIDS Control Programme in Côte d’Ivoire, and Dr Dramane Koné, ATLAS Focal Point at the Executive Secretariat of the High National AIDS Council in Mali, presented the reasons for the introduction of HIV self-testing and the first feedback from the implementation of the ATLAS project.
A large audience attended all these events and demonstrated a growing interest in self-screening, introduction and dispensation measures, as well as the link to treatment.
Tina, in the backroom of a bar, in Bamako. Jean-Claude Frisque / Solthis
Tina announces she is 35 years old, but her body and face inspire 15 more. A Nigerian national, she left her country with her pimp to work in Côte d’Ivoire. As a sex worker, she has had some success. “So he decided to take me to Europe,” she explains. But the journey stops in Mauritania. “My pimp then asked me to go to Mali to prostitute myself to finance the trip. “Here she is in Bamako, a city she didn’t know, without a landmark, without a family. Her destiny changed the day she met the late Dr. SIDIBE Garangué SOUKO in 2000. Founder and Executive Director of the NGO SOUTOURA, the late Dr. SIDIBE Garangué SOUKO suggested that she become a peer educator, particularly for Nigerian sex workers, and more generally English-speaking sex workers and their boyfriends. “My life has changed, she took me off the street,” she says, sitting on a concrete bench in the back room of a bar on one of the busiest avenues in Bamako, Mali. Today, Tina has become the surrogate “mother” for girls who have followed the same path as her. Dr. KEITA Aminata Saran SIDIBE, who took over from the founder of SOUTOURA, who died in July 2019, testifies to Tina’s investment: “She is there every day, every time. Even when the NGO encounters financial difficulties and has to reduce its activities, she continues to do so on a voluntary basis. »
Tina AGBONAVBARE, or Momy or Anty, as she is known to English-speaking sex workers, plays a very important role in SOUTOURA where she has worked her way up through the ranks as a community worker, from peer educator to coordinator. In 2005, she was awarded the prize for best community worker in the STI, HIV and AIDS program of the PSI Mali and Groupe Pivot Santé Population consortium, funded by USAID. Sista Tina is very helpful to women in prostitution through the provision of service packages: awareness raising, traditional testing and self-testing, distribution of condoms and lubricant gels, referral of people who test positive for HIV to treatment and follow-up until the viral load is eliminated. Her support also extends beyond the health sector, since she accompanies girls in their relations with the police, the embassy of their country of origin and the opening of bank accounts.
The late Dr Sidibé Garangué Souko, Founder of Soutoura
In the establishment, there are about forty of them sailing between the bar and the back room, where there are rooms from 5 to 6 square meters that they share at 3, their privacy being as much as possible preserved by curtains. Day and night, they accompany the men who select them, for quick passes paid at best 2,000 FCFA (3 euros). “On Friday and Saturday nights, they each do up to 30 passes,” explains Dr. KEITA Aminata Saran SIDIBE. Tina is concerned for “her daughters”, their health, mental and physical. “I had the chance to meet help, I try to give it back, to get these girls off the street, and if not to support them. “Tina, who knows her HIV status but keeps it secret, encourages girls to test for it. On this awareness day at the bar, the theme is the HIV self-test. Because if they regularly test themselves at the SOUTOURA Clinic, this complementary screening strategy allows them to offer screening to their boyfriends as they call them, their regular partner. “Above all, we want them to stay healthy,” they explain. The HIV self-test is fairly well accepted by these men, “because they can do it discreetly at home, without having to reveal that they are dating a sex worker.” Tina has all the girls’ confidence. She evolves in the bar as a caring mother, attentive to improving as much as possible a very difficult daily life. Helping these young girls is the raison d’être of Tina, who today calls herself “happy” and eternally grateful to the late Dr. SIDIBE Garangué SOUKO.
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