In some areas of the Asia-Pacific Region, HIV incidence continues to rise at an alarming rate particularly among those who engage in high-risk behaviors. But most people who are living with HIV cannot access available care, treatment, and support services. In addition, such services are seldom linked and coordinated in ways that optimize access and adherence to treatment.
The continuum of care (CoC) is a strategy developed in the region to organize and provide such services. Tailored to meet local needs and circumstances, the CoC is defined as a network of linked and coordinated HIV care, treatment, and support services that collaborating organizations provide.
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A central challenge in CoC creation is bringing together partner organizations from different sectors to create a framework within which they work together to coordinate programming and expand the provision of high-quality services.
Scaling Up the Continuum of Care for People Living with HIV: A Toolkit for Implementers was inspired by the impressive results of the CoC approach in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Nepal, and other countries. This new publication was developed by a collaboration of partners to help planners and managers establish or strengthen their own CoCs.
The toolkit helps planners and managers to create networks that link HIV care, treatment, and support services in ways that respond to unique needs. It contains
- a section on the rationale for the CoC approach
- profiles of CoC development in five countries in the Asia-Pacific region
- advice on building a CoC at the local level
- a review of national-level support for the CoC across the region
- an overview of how CoC initiatives can be monitored and evaluated
- a section that looks at future CoC directions
The inclusion of prevention services within the CoC network is also addressed.
Country-specific examples highlight issues, principles, strategies, and lessons learned. The CD-ROM included contains detailed information on useful tools, planning structures, and approaches, as well as a list of additional resources.
Ideas presented in the toolkit should prove useful to governments and partners as they respond to the HIV epidemic and work to increase access to locally appropriate HIV and AIDS care, treatment, and support services throughout Asia and the Pacific.
Message from FHI about this toolkit:
Family Health International is pleased to announce the launching of scaling Up the Continuum of Care for People Living with HIV in Asia and the Pacific: A Toolkit for Implementers: The Toolkit provides HIV care service implementers and providers with step-by-step guidance on how to establish a local or national Continuum of Care program. It is also a useful tool for advocating for more strategic and participatory approaches to organizing HIV care services.
The Continuum of Care is a system of linked services in a given locality which together add up to a comprehensive package of care. It promotes functional referral and coordination linkages between services provided in the home, community and institution improving access of PLHIV and families to the services they need. This approach to organizing HIV care services has proven very successful in localities across Asia and the Pacific. Some countries, such as Cambodia, have taken this approach nation-wide resulting in high service coverage and low rates of loss to follow-up.
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