Search & Rescue- Re-Linking Lost to Follow-Up PLHIV with HIV Care in Pakistan
Project Description
Between September 2020 and December 2021, the Association of People Living with HIV (APLHIV), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) EMRO Region, and WHO Country Office, implemented a groundbreaking national demonstration project to track, engage and re-link Loss to Follow Up (LTFU) PLHIV with treatment, care & support services. The project addressed a critical gap in Pakistan’s HIV response i.e. the absence of a formal system to trace and re-engage individuals who had disengaged from care. LTFU, defined as being out of care for over six months, threatens treatment continuity, viral suppression, and epidemic control.
Despite challenges posed by the second and third waves of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the project achieved remarkable success. Over 16 months, APLHIV traced 2,032 individuals reported as LTFU. Among these, 1,070 were successfully re-linked to ART services, 817 were confirmed deceased, while others had transferred care or moved abroad. These efforts substantially strengthened the national HIV treatment cascade. The Search & Rescue project was part of a WHO-led regional pilot across seven countries, with Pakistan, through APLHIV, reporting the best outcomes. This success highlighted the effectiveness of the community-led model and peer outreach teams.
Community-Led and Gender-Responsive Approach: Central to this success was a community-led approach driven by people living with HIV themselves. Outreach and re-engagement were conducted by trained community members with lived experience. Over 50% of trackers were women, ensuring gender balance and culturally sensitive access. This empowered communities and promoted gender equity, fostering leadership and improving access to hard-to-reach populations.
Scale-Up and Global Recognition: Due to its success, the model was scaled up under Pakistan’s Global Fund (GFATM) grant, becoming integral to national retention strategies.
The project gained international recognition, featured in the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ):Community-led interventions to re-engage people living with HIV into care in Pakistan - EMHJ.
It was also presented as an oral abstract at the International AIDS Society Conference (IAS) 2024 in Munich, Germany (Abstract WEPEE557, page 866): AIDS 2024 Abstract Book.
Project Description
Between September 2020 and December 2021, the Association of People Living with HIV (APLHIV), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) EMRO Region, and WHO Country Office, implemented a groundbreaking national demonstration project to track, engage and re-link Loss to Follow Up (LTFU) PLHIV with treatment, care & support services. The project addressed a critical gap in Pakistan’s HIV response i.e. the absence of a formal system to trace and re-engage individuals who had disengaged from care. LTFU, defined as being out of care for over six months, threatens treatment continuity, viral suppression, and epidemic control.
Despite challenges posed by the second and third waves of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the project achieved remarkable success. Over 16 months, APLHIV traced 2,032 individuals reported as LTFU. Among these, 1,070 were successfully re-linked to ART services, 817 were confirmed deceased, while others had transferred care or moved abroad. These efforts substantially strengthened the national HIV treatment cascade. The Search & Rescue project was part of a WHO-led regional pilot across seven countries, with Pakistan, through APLHIV, reporting the best outcomes. This success highlighted the effectiveness of the community-led model and peer outreach teams.
Community-Led and Gender-Responsive Approach: Central to this success was a community-led approach driven by people living with HIV themselves. Outreach and re-engagement were conducted by trained community members with lived experience. Over 50% of trackers were women, ensuring gender balance and culturally sensitive access. This empowered communities and promoted gender equity, fostering leadership and improving access to hard-to-reach populations.
Scale-Up and Global Recognition: Due to its success, the model was scaled up under Pakistan’s Global Fund (GFATM) grant, becoming integral to national retention strategies.
The project gained international recognition, featured in the Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ):Community-led interventions to re-engage people living with HIV into care in Pakistan - EMHJ.
It was also presented as an oral abstract at the International AIDS Society Conference (IAS) 2024 in Munich, Germany (Abstract WEPEE557, page 866): AIDS 2024 Abstract Book.