ICAP

Anna Deryabina, MD, DrPH, MScIH, ICAP's regional director for Eurasia (second from left), presented her research on the benefits of scaling up self-testing in Central Asia. Seen with her at in Munich, Germany, are Mira Sauranbaeva, projector director for ICAP in Central Asia; Roman Yorick from Elton John AIDS Foundation, and Indira Aitmagambetova from CDC.

Byelca Huamán, ICAP's country coordinator for , presented her research on access to
services for from in Perú at in Munich, Germany. The research was conducted with support from The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC.

Rolando Lorenzana, program manager for ICAP in Latin America, presented his research poster on the experience of viral load scale-up in at in Munich, Germany.

Joey Platt, MPH, senior project officer, ICAP at Columbia University, and co-investigator of ICAP’s seroprevalence study, presents findings from her research at the conference in Munich, Germany.

ICAP is inspired to be working every day with USAID - US Agency for International Development to improve the quality of malaria diagnosis and treatment across Ethiopia.

Malaria is a major public health concern in many parts of Ethiopia, causing high morbidity. The Amhara region is one of the most affected areas, accounting for 38% of the country's total cases.

The USAID - US Agency for International Development Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment project, in collaboration with the Amhara Regional Public Health Institute and the Amhara Regional Health Bureau, launched a six-month malaria response plan. This plan was kicked off with an advocacy workshop in Bahir Dar. The response aims to reduce malaria cases and deaths by 50% from July to December 2024 while addressing the current spread of malaria in the region.

Funded by the President’s Malaria Initiative, the USAID project implemented by ICAP aims to improve the quality of malaria diagnosis and treatment services across the country.

Creating a safe space for key populations, a drop-in center in is offering HIV prevention, care, and treatment services integrated with life skills education and recreational activities: https://icap.columbia.edu/news-events/drop-in-center-in-mozambique-provides-lifesaving-hiv-services-supportive-spaces-to-key-populations/

This week in Durban, South Africa, ICAP's HIV learning network CQUIN convenes health system leaders to discuss progress made with HIV testing services (HTS) in the 21-country network. Discussions include exploring innovative HTS optimization approaches for HIV epidemic control, emphasizing the expanded use of HIV self-testing, and achieving high-quality and impactful testing services for people at higher risk for HIV acquisition.

Learn more about CQUIN: https://cquin.icap.columbia.edu/

Congratulations to ICAP's Dr. Jessica Justman on her appointment as chair of the HPTN’s Women at Risk Scientific Committee. She is also a professor of medicine in epidemiology at Columbia Public Health and was the protocol chair for the CoVPN 5002 (COMPASS) study.

Burundi is poised to be the first African francophone country to achieve sustained epidemic control. On this , we're proud to highlight one of our stories out of the RISE program in Burundi, helping pave the way: https://ow.ly/TYiJ50StbtR

Join ICAP's HIV learning network, , for this informative webinar. It will focus on integrating HIV and non-communicable disease (NCD) services, emphasizing strengthening the coordination and implementation of service delivery models for HTN/HIV integration, featuring best practices from Uganda and Nigeria. Register in advance here: https://ow.ly/l4WB50SpaLr

ICAP joined over 400 participants from 74 countries and 152 organizations at the DHIS2 Annual Conference in Oslo, Norway. DHIS2 is a global public health tool that transforms health information management worldwide, developed by the Health Information Systems Programme (HISP) Centre at the University of Oslo. The conference is an opportunity for DHIS2 implementers, developers, ministry representatives, technical partners, donors, and other DHIS2 experts from around the world to come together in person to share experiences, learn about the latest developments and innovations, and make connections that can lead to new partnerships and collaborations.
On June 10, 2024, Rick Mitchell, Director of Informatics, delivered ICAP's first oral presentation. In a presentation called "Moving a Mountain: Google Sheets to DHIS2 Tracker with Over 15,000 Program Indicators!," he shared a unique, real-life informatics/technical challenge that our Informatics Center within the Strategic Information (SI) Unit overcame. Rafael Escobar, Laura Lincks, Becky Smith, and Bill Reidy, all from ICAP's SI unit, contributed to this effort.

Since May 2022, there have been nearly 100,000 mpox cases reported, and recently, a deadlier version of mpox has fueled cases in DRC.

Join ICAP on June 25 at 9am EST for the webinar — State of the Mpox Epidemic: Global, National, and Local Perspectives: https://icap.columbia.edu/news-events/state-of-the-mpox-epidemic-global-national-and-local-perspectives/

ICAP in targeted 42 health facilities in Western Province to close gaps related to Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) management, achieving nearly doubled AHD screening in just four months. Read more: https://icap.columbia.edu/news-events/icap-in-zambia-significantly-improves-screening-and-identification-of-advanced-hiv-disease-through-technical-assistance/

At today's close-out of ICAP's Almaty Model for HIV Epidemic Control project, stakeholders discussed HIV service delivery.

"Communication with patients is key to ensuring effective treatment and adherence," said Yelena Kudussova, deputy clinical director of ICAP in Central Asia.

At the close-out ceremony of ICAP's Almaty Model for HIV Epidemic Control project, stakeholders gathered in Almaty to discuss the program's incredible partnerships and successful online and in-person HIV prevention and treatment service delivery over the last four years.

Upcoming biobehavioral surveys among key populations in are taking a community-based approach by engaging community partners and stakeholders throughout all levels of survey design and implementation, enhancing the survey’s reach and relevance: https://ow.ly/py5G50RRJ5R

It's critical health care providers have the proper tools to address Advanced HIV Disease (AHD), which can lead to opportunistic infection and death. This week, ICAP trained doctors from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan on best practices for treating patients with AHD.

“We’re seeing a consensus, and the consensus also puts the mother right up-front central in the conversation and decision-making,” ICAP’s Elaine Abrams told CNN in response to new American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines that living with can breastfeed if taking treatment and virus is undetectable.

Moms with HIV can breastfeed if taking treatment and virus is undetectable, pediatricians’ group says | CNN Each time LaTonya looks at framed photos of herself breastfeeding her baby son for the first time, she swells with emotion.

May is – Join ICAP on May 21 at 9am EST for the webinar Intervention Approaches in Global Mental Health: Current Strategies and Future Directions, exploring global mental health strategies across diverse contexts. Register here: https://ow.ly/Ywak50RG1ro

Join us as we delve into the profound significance of global mental health and HIV programs, shedding light on their pivotal roles in fostering differentiated services and client-centered care.

In a landscape where the intersections of mental health and HIV are often overlooked, and the synergies between mental health and HIV programs remain underexplored, CQUIN will host a webinar dedicated to raising awareness and advocacy.

Register to join the webinar: https://ow.ly/TOpq50Rr8xk

Congratulations to the ICAP in New York team for their third-place win at yesterday’s Columbia University Irving Medical Center Team Relay Marathon!

The race, held at The Armory Track and Field Center in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood, supports Armory College Prep and The Armory Foundation’s youth and athletic programs.



Columbia Public Health Columbia University Department of Epidemiology Columbia University Irving Medical Center The Armory Track & Field Center Support the Armory Foundation

Last month, ICAP helped to train staff at health facilities in on PrEP use to help expand its access for both migrants and non-migrants populations. Currently, there are over 1.5 million forcibly displaced people from residing in Peru, many of whom face disruption of regular health services, including HIV prevention and treatment.

The training was done jointly with Peru's Ministry of Health, Sociedad Peruana de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales and the International Migration Organization; it is part of a PEPFAR-funded project through the CDC.



CDC Global The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Columbia Public Health Columbia University Department of Epidemiology Columbia Global Centers OIM Perú Ministerio de Salud del Perú SPEIT PEPFAR Central America CDC Perú

Learn how ICAP is providing Ethiopia's Degehabur General Hospital – as well as 60 other health facilities – with essential equipment, training, and standardized protocols to improve diagnostic efforts for in the Somali Region: https://bit.ly/43Jtibu

Supported by funding from the President’s Malaria Initiative through USAID Ethiopia.


Columbia University Department of Epidemiology Columbia Public Health Ministry of Health,Ethiopia USAID - US Agency for International Development USAID Ethiopia

ICAP-trained surveillance team identification of human rift valley fever case in Marsabit, , spurring Ministry of Health to declare outbreak: https://bit.ly/4ajjd7O


Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University Department of Epidemiology CDC Global Kenya CDC The Ministry of Health

In this joint webinar, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will present the findings from a case management survey conducted among CQUIN network countries. Additional country case studies from Eswatini and Nigeria will highlight how case management is used to facilitate linkage and retention in care.

Register here: https://ow.ly/Fihn50R5GnZ

ICAP's Karampreet Sachathep and a team of co-authors including colleagues from ICAP, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC Global), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Ministère de la Santé Publique du Cameroun have published a paper on the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in , which was affected more than most countries in Africa: https://bit.ly/3TAKcEL

The study found almost 100 times more cases compared to the number of cases reported to the World Health Organization. It highlights the importance of conducting serosurveys, especially in settings where access to testing may be limited.

Learn the results of the first HIV-focused biobehavioral survey in among people who inject drugs, supported by ICAP: https://bit.ly/4cwN4uX


Columbia Public Health Columbia University Department of Epidemiology Ministry of Health Zambia