Transcript Reducing Loss to Follow-up through Effective Contact

Reducing Loss to Follow-up
through Effective Contact
Tracking (CT)
By
Umeuzuegbu Chioma Felicia
Referral Focal Person
[email protected]
+2348068091611
ISSUE

Initiating HIV+ clients on ART requires life-long
commitment

Failure to adhere to the therapy at any stage led to
increase in clients leading to unsuccessful outcome

St. Charles Borromeo Hospital Onitsha (SCBH), had the
highest number (18.4%) of ART clients lost to follow-up
within the first two years of service provision

There was lack of systematic process for ARV refill
PROJECT

Standardized contact tracking (CT) system was
introduced, developed and implemented in SCBH
in 2007

The CT team began tracking defaulters (phone
calls and home visits) a day after a client misses
appointment

Referral network was established

A support group was formed in the facility
RESULTS

The number of clients’ lost to follow-up reduced from 370
in 2006 to 45 in 2010

222 clients who were once lost to follow-up have been restarted on ARV

The formation of CTT improved client documentation and
successful CT outcomes

Involvement of support group members helped increase
treatment adherence and improve quality of life of PLHIV

Through effective tracking of defaulters, some families
have been re-united
•Figure 1: Reduction in the number of client lost to
follow-up between 2006 and 2010 in St. Charles
Borromeo Hospital.
LESSON LEARNED

Effective CT can increase the number of
HIV clients retained in care and treatment

Use of standardized CT tools enhances
systematic documentation

Improved treatment outcomes
THANKS