Kganya Motsha Adolescent Centre: a model for adolescent friendly HIV management and reproductive health for adolescents in Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

This paper reports on Kganya Motsha Adolescent Centre, an adolescent program specifically established to provide voluntary counseling and testing as well as management of HIV-positive young people in Soweto, South Africa. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis, using clinic records of young people accessing services from 2008 to 2012, was conducted. Of the 11,522 who tested, 7689 (67%) were females. The total number of HIV infections was 410, with an HIV prevalence of 3.6% (95% CI 3.2-3.9%). More females (332, 4% vs. 72, 2%; p < 0.0001) were HIV-infected than males. Of those testing HIV positive, 109 (26.5%) had a median CD4 cell count of 491 (IQR 345-686) cells/mm(3). Only 12/410 individuals (2.9%) were eligible for antiretroviral treatment and 10 (2.4%) of those successfully received treatment. The program observed that young people testing HIV positive would not return for follow up blood specimens or confirmatory results. Future programs should consider innovative ways of retaining adolescents in care to reduce potential HIV transmissions that could lead to deteriorating health.

Keywords: HIV; adolescent; health and reproductive services; voluntary counseling and testing; young people.