Triangulating OVC and Health Facility Data to Identify Gaps in HIV Care and Treatment for Children and Adolescents Living with HIV
According to PEPFAR guidance, OVC programs and PEPFAR HIV clinical partners in health facilities (HFs) need to work hand in hand to improve pediatric HIV treatment outcomes for C&ALHIV under the age of 18 years. Lack of correct data on a child’s treatment status can also prevent the OVC program from providing appropriate support at the community and household levels. To identify and address these and other data-related challenges and improve pediatric retention and viral suppression rates amongst C&ALHIV, COVida undertook an exercise to triangulate COVida OVC program data with HF data in the province of Inhambane, where COVida project activities are led by CARE.
The data triangulation exercise consisted of comparing data on C&ALHIV under 18 from COVida’s community case management information system with HF data on children on ART to identify discrepancies and take corrective actions. This exercise was conducted from October to December 2019 in the province of Inhambane (led by CARE) in collaboration with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), who is the PEPFAR HIV clinical partner in this province. The exercise was conducted in 14 EGPAF-supported HFs in the following five districts: Zavala, Maxixe, Morrumbene, Massinga, and Vilankulo.