EAPOC VL Project

EAPoC VL: The East African Point of Care Viral Load (EAPoC-VL) study is a multi-country research project aimed at examining the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of using point-of-care viral load (PoC VL) monitoring to improve viral load suppression among children, adolescents, and young people (age ≤24 years) living with HIV in East Africa. The project is a two-year (2022-2024) multi-country research project, funded by the European and Development Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).

IMPLEMENTATION: EaPOC VL Project is Implemented in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. In Tanzania, the EAPoC-VL project is implemented by three institutions, which are MDH in collaboration with KI, NIMR and the GSF KCMC. Each institution has four study sites. MDH facilities implemented the study in Mbagala Rangi Tatu Hospital (intervention), Magomeni Hospital (Intervention), Bunju Dispensary (control) & Consolata Sisters’ Dispensary (control).

This study is funded primarily by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), with the East Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR) serving as the implementing team.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To determine the effectiveness of PoC VL monitoring compared with standard care on viral load suppression (suppression as defined by the site’s common practice) among children, adolescents and youth living with HIV in East Africa at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. 
2. To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using PoC VL monitoring among children and adolescents living with HIV in East Africa.
3. To understand the psychosocial life of children, adolescents and young people living with HIV in East Africa and how they predict adherence and viral load suppression

PARTNERS & STAKEHOLDERS:

The EAPoC VL study is a collaboration between the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), the Uganda National Health Research Organisation (UNHRO), the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the East African Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR), the Karolinska Institute (KI) in Stockholm, Sweden, and Management and Development for Health (MDH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In Tanzania, the study collaborates with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the President’s Office for Regional Authorities and Local Government (PORALG), and the Regional Health Management Teams (RHMTs) from four study districts.