{
  "abstract": "Background The availability of HIV guidelines, infrastructure, essential medicines and diagnostic tests for HIV services is a prerequisite to effective universal test-and-treat (UTT) services. However, evidence on public facility readiness for UTT services in rural, high HIV prevalence areas remain limited. This study provides a snapshot of facility readiness for UTT services in selected public health facilities within the uThukela district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at 15 healthcare facilities in the uThukela district, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Data were collected from public primary healthcare points, including three mobile clinics, three gateway clinics and nine Outpatient Departments, Community Health Centres and Hospitals (OPD-CHC-H). Questionnaires were programmed into Research Electronic Data Capture. Analysis was performed using STATA Software V.18, and results were summarised in percentages (%) and presented in tables and graph.Results The study highlights gaps in UTT services in uThukela district, with variability in infrastructure availability across health facility types. Mean readiness was 86% (95% CI: 77.6% to 92.1%) for OPD-CHC-H; 70% (95% CI: 60.0% to 78.7) for gateway clinics and 67% (95% CI: 56.8% to 76.0%) for mobile clinics. Mean availability of indicators for basic amenities was 61% (95% CI: 50.7% to 70.5%); 90.4% (95% CI: 82.3% to 95.0%); and 80.9% (95% CI: 70.8% to 87.3%) in mobile clinics, gateway clinics, and OPD-CHC-H, respectively. HIV test kits, palliative care guidelines and improved water sources was limited across all facility types. Overall, facility readiness was 74% (95% CI: 64.2% to 82.2%), which was deemed satisfactory according to WHO-Service Availability and Readiness Assessment criteria.Conclusions Persistent shortages in antiretrovirals, HIV test kits, palliative care guidance and logistics/operations hinder care; integrating HIV testing into routine screenings, expanding self-testing and adopting digital and personalised care models can ease burdens and improve outcomes Cite Now",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa",
        "Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Eunice Turawa"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Wisdom Basera"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Public Health, Societies and Belonging, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, Guateng, South Africa",
        "School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Mbuzeleni Hlongwa"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa",
        "School of Public Health, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Thubelihle Mathole"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Debbie Bradshaw"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Burden of Disease Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa",
        "Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa"
      ],
      "name": "Edward Nicol"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Assessing the preparedness of primary healthcare facilities for the implementation of universal test and treat in uThukela District, South Africa: a cross-sectional study",
  "uid": "8d4460e5-f487-5983-80f8-a779145ce96b"
}