Key Populations and HIV Epidemics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Developing Better Epidemiologic Evidence and Tools to Inform Priorities and Programmes

Project Dates: January 2016-December 2018

Principal Investigators: Stefan Baral (JHSPH), Peter Vickerman (University of Bristol), Sharmistha Mishra (University of Toronto), Marie-Claude Boily (Imperial College), Erik Volz (Imperial College), James Blanchard (University of Manitoba)

Co-Investigators: Sheree Schwartz, Stephen Moses, Michel Alary, Marissa Becker, Parinita Bhattacharjee, Martin Sirengo, Helgar Musyoki, Andrew Lambert, Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya, Daouda Diouf, Fatou Drame, Ubald Tamoufe, Iliassou Njindam

Description: Key populations, including female sex workers (FSW), their clients and men who have sex with men (MSM), contribute substantially to HIV transmission in many settings, including in epidemics with HIV prevalence exceeding 10% in the overall population. Thus, appropriately prioritizing key populations and tailoring HIV prevention interventions to these risk groups is essential for achieving local HIV elimination and meeting local and global goals of zero new HIV infections. This study aims to rigorously evaluate the importance of sex work (FSW and clients) and MSM in diverse HIV epidemic contexts across Sub-Saharan Africa, and assess the potential impact of key population interventions. We will achieve this via combining data collection in Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa, and Kenya, with innovative and large interlocked modelling projects to determine the contribution of sex work and MSM in these four selected settings, and the potential impact of focused interventions in both low and high HIV prevalence settings.

Collaboration Partners: This is a multi-country collaboration between academic institutions at the University of Bristol, Imperial College, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, University of Manitoba, and the University of Toronto, and partner implementing institutions including Enda Santé in Senegal, Global Viral in Cameroon, the TB/HIV Care Association in South Africa, the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa, the National Health Laboratory Service in South Africa, the Kenya National Technical Support Unit, Médecins Sans Frontières in Kenya, and the National AIDS and STI Control Programme of Kenya

Funding Source: Linkages – FHI 360