Strengthening healthcare capacity through a responsive, country-specific, training standard: the KITSO AIDS training program's support of Botswana's national antiretroviral therapy rollout

Abstract

In parallel with the rollout of Botswana's national antiretroviral therapy (ART) program, the Botswana Ministry of Health established the KITSO AIDS Training Program by entering into long-term partnerships with the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership for HIV Research and Education and others to provide standardized, country-specific training in HIV/AIDS care. The KITSO training model has strengthened human capacity within Botswana's health sector and been indispensable to successful ART rollout. Through core and advanced training courses and clinical mentoring, different cadres of health care workers have been trained to provide high-quality HIV/AIDS care at all ART sites in the country. Continuous and standardized clinical education will be crucial to sustain the present level of care and successfully address future treatment challenges.

Fig. (1)

KITSO-BHP curriculum delivery diagram.

Fig. (2)

Training course implementation: time line and training output.

Fig. (3)

AIDS clinical care fundamentals: Cumulative training numbers per profession, 2001-2006.

Fig. (4)

Mean pre- and post- ACCF assessement scores by profession across years 2003-2006.

Fig. (5)

Cumulative numbers of HCWs trained in ACCF and patients on ART 2001-2006.