Descriptive analysis reveals a 6% decline in HIV testing during COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, suggesting recovery strategies are essential.
Key Points
HIV testing decreased by 6% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and substantially increased by 36% afterward, indicating significant recovery.
The median number of HIV tests was highest post-COVID-19 at 74,954, compared to 55,141 during the pandemic, showing a sharp rebound.
A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary program data from all 16 districts in Sierra Leone for three different time periods.
The findings suggest that strategic adaptations are essential to maintain HIV testing services during future public health crises.