Determinants of acceptance of Sameday ART initiation in Nakawa

Kawuma, Samuel
Dr Samuel Kawuma is currently a research doctor at the Joint clinical research Centre Kampala Uganda with special interest in infectious diseases. Previously has worked as a medical doctor at infectious diseases institute Makerere University college of health sciences; Has completed a masters in public health.

Uganda has adopted the HIV test and treat policy which requires same day ART initiation after HIV diagnosis in order to meet the 90-90-90 HIV global targets and end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. However despite increase in proportion of HIV positive clients on ART since adoption of the policy, no literature exist on acceptance of same day ART initiation in the general HIV population. The aim of this study was to assess the determinants of acceptance of same-day ART initiation among clients attending public health facilities in Nakawa division, Kampala district. This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted in two public health facilities in Nakawa division, Kampala district. One regional referral hospital and one health centre IV were purposively selected from which 402 newly diagnosed HIV positive clients were consecutively selected. Information on antiretroviral therapy acceptance and associated factors was obtained using interviewer administered questionnaires.