Retention in HIV programmes: Defining the challenges and identifying solutions

Overview

WHO convened a global consultative meeting on retention in HIV care on 13-15 September 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. The key objectives of this meeting were:

• To highlight the challenges around retention of patients between HIV diagnosis and enrollment and ongoing participation in HIV care with a focus on country-specific issues.
• To highlight the importance of diligent monitoring and evaluation to improve HIV care programmes.
• To identify gaps in documenting and monitoring LTFU (loss to follow-up).
• To propose standardized definitions for key terms such as loss-to follow-up, and retention, including standardized period definitions.
• To share country experiences and propose strategies to enhance retention in care with a focus on improving service delivery as part of Treatment 2.0.

The outcomes of the meeting are expected to serve as a foundation for future WHO normative guidance and to strengthen future programme support for retention in care.