Study to identify underlying causes of death in adults living with HIV
ARVs being sorted for distribution at a Kenya Medical Supplies Authority warehouse in Embakasi, Nairobi, on April 22, 2022.
What you need to know:
- According to the 2022 World Aids Day Report, between 2010 and 2021, ART uptake averted approximately 622,724 deaths.
- While more people live longer with HIV, age-related conditions in low-resource areas present alarming death rates.
Adults living with HIV in Kisumu and Siaya counties will participate in a new study that seeks to establish the underlying causes of death among the target population.
The study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to identify the specific causes of death for the aging population despite having improved access to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
“While ART has significantly reduced AIDS-related deaths, the underlying causes of death in this population remain unclear,” said Mr Victor Akelo who will the lead the study for Kenya.
According to the 2022 World Aids Day Report, between 2010 and 2021, ART uptake averted approximately 622,724 deaths. While more people live longer with HIV, age-related conditions in low-resource areas present alarming death rates.
The study will be conducted in Manyatta catchment area in Kisumu, encompassing Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) and Siaya County Referral Hospital.
JOOTRH alone provides HIV services to more than 6,500 adults, with 116 HIV-related deaths recorded between January 2022 and March 2023.
Mr Akelo noted that the survey is crucial for preventing future deaths, particularly those related to Advanced HIV Disease. He pointed out that knowing the definitive causes of death can significantly transform HIV programmes and guide targeted investments.
The survey to be led by Emory’s Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (Champs) will utilise the programme’s extensive laboratory capacity, partnerships and network across Africa.
“Since 2015, Champs has played a vital role in determining the causes of stillbirths and child deaths across Africa and South Asia. This new grant will see the programme expand its efforts to include adults aged 18-64 living with HIV in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and South Africa,” said Ziyaad Dangor, Champs South Africa co-director.
He stated that the in-depth investigation into the causes of death has the potential to guide the development of additional interventions, ultimately reducing the disproportionately high mortality rate within this population.
Over the three-year study period, the findings will be made readily available to local and global health programmes, policymakers and practitioners.
Kenya currently faces a generalised HIV epidemic, meaning it affects all populations. While the national adult HIV prevalence rate has dropped significantly from 10 per cent in the late 1990s to around 4.5 per cent in 2020, challenges remain. Women are disproportionately affected, and some counties grapple with higher infection rates.
