Package of Care to Improve Retention in ART and Mortality Among Treatment Naive HIV Infected Individuals

This is a cluster randomized trial to determine whether a package of care including rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, as compared to standard ART initiation, improves mortality, retention in care and viral suppression among treatment naive people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nepal. Package of care includes immediate screening and treatment of opportunistic infections (OIs), rapid ART initiation and enhanced retention in care using mobile health (mHealth) and weekly/biweekly home-based adherence/ retention support linked to community care centre. Standard of care includes screening and management of common OIs, baseline assessment (CD4, viral load and other tests), antiretroviral drugs and ART follow up.