Page 10 - Nursing Matters June 2021 Vol 12

Improving viral load monitoring

in South Africa: lessons from the

ITREMA project

Liset de Vries BSc Hugo Tempelman MD, MA
SAHCS, UMC Ndlovu Research Consortium,
Lucas Hermans MD University of Witwatersrand
UMC, University of Witwatersrand, KwaZulu-Natal John de Wit PhD
DoH, Ndlovu Research Consortium Utrecht University
Monique Nijhuis PhD Francois Venter MD, FCP
UMC, University of Witwatersrand, Ezintsha, University of Witwatersrand
Ndlovu Research Consortium Annemarie Wensing MD, PhD
Rob Schuurman PhD UMC, University of Witwatersrand,
UMC Ndlovu Research Consortium

By whom was the ITREMA project performed?

The ITREMA project (205300004) is a collaboration between South Africa and the Netherlands. The project was funded
through the Dutch Government (The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development – ZonMW/
WOTRO) as part of the VIMP (2053000041). The Dutch project partners were the University Medical Centre Utrecht,
Utrecht University and Radboud University. In South Africa, the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Ndlovu Care
Group, and the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) participated in the project.

To propagate the ITREMA key messages, several trainings are being organised by the Southern African HIV Clinicians’
Society. In these trainings, the ITREMA messages are often combined with an update on other relevant subjects in HIV
care, such as CMEs. If you would like to join one of the trainings, please visit the website: https://sahivsoc.org/

For further information about ITREMA, please visit the website: https://www.itrema.org/

Acknowledgements
2
This article would not have been possible without the support of the AHC foundation; Aidsfonds, project number P-50101
and the hard work and assistance of Josien Straver (UMC), Lauren Jankelowitz (SAHCS), Fiona Storie (SAHCS) and
Valencia Malaza (SAHCS).

HIV Nursing Matters | June 2021 | page 8