Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA)

Fogarty International Center

Investigators

Abstract

Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA): To harness the collective momentum of the Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA) to address the adolescent HIV epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through implementation science (IS), the Fogarty’s Center for Global Health Studies (CGHS) proposes to further build research capacity in IS; strengthen locally-led investments in IS; and extend the Alliance in order to support collaborations within the alliance of NIH-funded researchers and their in-country counterparts working in this areas. Fogarty’s CGHS (in collaboration with NICHD, NIMH, NIAID, and OAR) launched AHISA in 2017 with initial funding from OGAC and subsequent funding from OAR. AHISA was developed as an innovative platform to enhance communication and catalyze collaboration among NIH IS-funded researchers and users of research evidence including program implementers and policy-makers. Through AHISA, these stakeholders comprise a network that facilitates a robust exchange of ideas, insights, and experiences related to implementation science. Building on important advances in the field of implementation science and a growing portfolio of NIH and global investments in adolescent HIV, AHISA brings together a diverse set of experts working on adolescent HIV from both the United States and SSA and currently includes 75 members. Specifically, AHISA is made up of 26 teams of NIH-funded implementation science researchers, program implementers and policymakers working in 11 countries in SSA. The research focuses on challenges to implementing proven interventions spanning the HIV prevention, care, and treatment continuum including predictors to uptake of and adherence to PrEP, peer support and integrating mental health services in clinical care of adolescents with HIV, and improving ART adherence among HIV-positive youth (Appendix A. AHISA Member’s NIH Funding). The Alliance is guided by a steering committee of experts from NIH’s NICHD, NIMH, NIAID, and OAR, OGAC, USAID, CDC, WHO, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, UNICEF, and the Desmond Tutu Foundation.