Presentation synopsis:
Why do we need new models of care?
The COVID-19 pandemic was a major challenge for the healthcare system globally, leading to disruption in HIV services, especially in low and middle-income countries. Implementation of long-term lock-downs, quarantines, social distancing and other community measures have reduced access to adequate HIV testing, diagnosis and treatment.
Interventions to prevent disruptions in HIV care are mandatory and new models of care during the COVID-19 pandemic should be implemented and maintained.
Country-specific patient- care strategies in order to ensure continuum of HIV-care as self-testing, telemedicine, phone visits, ART home delivery, ART supply for longer periods, intensified social and psychological support and COVID-19 vaccination should be prioritized.
Speaker biography:
Irina Cristiana Ianache, 'Victor Babes' Clinical Hospital for Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Romania
Irina Cristiana Ianache is a Infectious Diseases Specialist Physician, mainly focused on HIV infection. She has been in this field for almost 10 years, taking care of HIV-infected patients managing their health problems, antiretroviral treatment and integration into society.
Her research activity was also mainly focused on this field. She was part of a team that performed several studies about opportunistic infections, neuro-psychiatric disorders or malignancies in HIV-infected patients, injecting drug use, viral hepatitis co-infections, mother to child transmission of the HIV infection and HIV cascade of care in her Center.
Her PhD was based on the study of co-infections (mainly TB) in HIV-infected injecting drug users.
During last year she was involved in the Covid 19 pandemic, HIV-SARS CoV2 co-infected patients being one of her main concerns and trying to improve their life quality affected by Covid 19 restrictions imposed.
