Digital Adherence Support for HIV Treatment in South Africa

South Africa faces a significant HIV burden, with approximately 8 million people living with HIV and 6.2 million receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) by late 2025. Despite an average adherence level of 78%, a substantial number of individuals are either not in treatment or struggle with consistent care, underscoring the need for improved adherence strategies.

Several factors contribute to non-adherence, including structural issues like transport costs and distance to facilities, social factors such as stigma and fear of disclosure, and individual challenges like unemployment, treatment fatigue, and household responsibilities. These barriers can disrupt medication intake and clinic attendance, potentially leading to an unsuppressed viral load.

Digital tools offer a promising solution to enhance adherence support beyond traditional facility-based care. These include calls, SMS reminders, electronic pill boxes, WhatsApp communication, and remote counseling. Such technologies can improve reminder systems, facilitate remote monitoring, streamline follow-up processes, enable personalized communication, and aid in the early identification of adherence challenges.