Prevalence of hepatitis B and C infection and linkage to care among patients with Non-Communicable Diseases in three rural Rwandan districts: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Rwanda's Hepatitis C elimination campaign has relied on mass screening campaigns. An alternative "micro-elimination" strategy focused on specific populations, such as non-communicable disease (NCD) patients, could be a more efficient approach to identifying patients and linking them to care. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study used routine data collected during a targeted screening campaign among NCD patients in Kirehe, Kayonza, and Burera districts of Rwanda and patients receiving oncology services from the Butaro District Hospital. The campaign used rapid diagnostic tests to screen for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and Hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV). We reported prevalences and 95% confidence intervals for HBsAg and anti-HCV, assessed for associations between patients' clinical programs and hepatitis B and C, and reported cascade of care for the two diseases. RESULTS: Out of 7,603 NCD patients, 3398 (45.9%) self-reported a prior hepatitis screening. Prevalence of HBsAg was 2.0% (95% CI: 1.7%-2.3%) and anti-HCV was 6.7% (95% CI: 6.2%-7.3%). The prevalence of HBsAg was significantly higher among patients < 40 years (2.4%). Increased age was significantly associated with anti-HCV (12.0% among patients ≥ 70 years). Of the 148 individuals who screened positive for HbsAg, 123 had viral load results returned, 101 had detectable viral loads (median viral load: 451 UI/mL), and 12 were linked to care. Of the 507 individuals who screened positive for anti-HCV, 468 had their viral load results returned (median viral load: 1,130,000 UI/mL), 304 had detectable viral loads, and 230 were linked to care. CONCLUSION: Anti-HCV prevalence among Rwandan patients with NCD was high, likely due to their older age. NCD-HCV co-infected patients had high HCV viral loads and may be at risk of poor outcomes from hepatitis C. Hepatitis C micro-elimination campaigns among NCD patients are a feasible and acceptable strategy to enhance case detection in this high-prevalence population with elevated viral loads and may support linkage to care for hepatitis C among elderly populations.

Impact of COVID-19 on access to cancer care in Rwanda: a retrospective time-series study using electronic medical records data.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions in access to routine healthcare services worldwide, with a particularly high impact on chronic care patients and low and middle-income countries. In this study, we used routinely collected electronic medical records data to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to cancer care at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE) in rural Rwanda. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective time-series study among all Rwandan patients who received cancer care at the BCCOE between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2021. The primary outcomes of interest included a comparison of the number of patients who were predicted based on time-series models of pre-COVID-19 trends versus the actual number of patients who presented during the COVID-19 period (between March 2020 and July 2021) across four key indicators: the number of new patients, number of scheduled appointments, number of clinical visits attended and the proportion of scheduled appointments completed on time. RESULTS: In total, 8970 patients (7140 patients enrolled before COVID-19 and 1830 patients enrolled during COVID-19) were included in this study. During the COVID-19 period, enrolment of new patients dropped by 21.7% (95% prediction interval (PI): -31.3%, -11.7%) compared with the pre-COVID-19 period. Similarly, the number of clinical visits was 25.0% (95% PI: -31.1%, -19.1%) lower than expected and the proportion of scheduled visits completed on time was 27.9% (95% PI: -39.8%, -14.1%) lower than expected. However, the number of scheduled visits did not deviate significantly from expected. CONCLUSION: Although scheduling procedures for visits continued as expected, our findings reveal that the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted patients' ability to access cancer care and attend scheduled appointments at the BCCOE. This interruption in care suggests delayed diagnosis and loss to follow-up, potentially resulting in a higher rate of negative health outcomes among cancer patients in Rwanda.

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients presenting with advanced HIV disease in the "treat all" era: a retrospective cohort study from rural Rwanda.

BACKGROUND: In 2016 Rwanda adopted "treat all" where all patients with HIV are immediately eligible for ART regardless of disease progression. Despite widespread availability of treatment, it is unknown whether presentation with advanced HIV persists. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort among patients aged ≥ 15 who enrolled in care between July 2016 and July 2018 in three rural Rwandan districts. We estimated the prevalence of advanced HIV, defined as presenting with CD4 count < 200 cells/mm3 or WHO stage 3 or 4, and compared baseline characteristics of patients with and without advanced HIV. We compared cumulative incidences and time to events using Chi squared tests and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively, for (a) viral load tests; (b) viral suppression; (c) death; and (d) treatment failure (a composite of death, lost to follow up, or virologic failure). RESULTS: Among 957 patients, 105 (11.0%) presented with advanced HIV. These patients were significantly more likely to have low body mass index, come from Burera district, be older, and be identified through inpatient settings rather than through voluntary or prenatal testing. Patients with advanced HIV had significantly higher risks of death at 12-months (9.5% vs 1.5%, p < 0.001) and 18-months (10.5% vs 1.9%, p < 0.001) and significantly higher risk of treatment failure at 12-months (21.9% vs. 14.2%, p = 0.037). After adjusting for confounders, patients with advanced HIV had still higher rates of death (adjusted Hazard ratio [aHR] = 4.4, 95% CI: 1.9, 10.2, p < 0.001) and treatment failure (aHR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.5, p = 0.017), but no difference in viral load testing (aHR = 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.5, p = 0.442) or viral suppression (aHR = 1.0, 95% CI: 0.8, 1.4, p = 0.949). When allowing for the hazard ratio to vary over time, patients with advanced HIV experienced elevated rates of treatment failure in the first six of enrollment, but not after nine months. CONCLUSION: Presenting with advanced HIV remains common and is still associated with poor patient outcomes. Sensitization of the community to the benefits of early ART initiation, identification of patients with advanced HIV, and holistic support programs for the first 6 months of treatment may be needed to improve outcomes.

Time to complete hepatitis C cascade of care among patients identified during mass screening campaigns in rural Rwanda: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Since the discovery of direct-acting antivirals, treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is increasingly accessible in low-resource settings, but quality of care in these settings is not known. We described progression through the cascade of care among individuals who screened positive for HCV antibodies during a mass screening campaign in Kirehe and Kayonza, two rural Rwandan districts, in September 2019. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used routine clinical data to assess proportions of participants completing each stage of the cascade of care, including: (a) screening positive on rapid diagnostic test; (b) return of initial viral load results; (c) detectable viral load; (d) treatment assessment; (e) treatment initiation; (f) return of sustained virological response (SVR12) results; and (g) achieving SVR12. We proposed three indicators to assess timely care provision and used medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) to describe the time to complete the cascade of care. RESULTS: Overall, 666 participants screened HCV positive, among them, 452 (68.1%) were female and median age was 61 years (IQR: 47, 70). Viral load results were returned for 537 (80.6%) participants of whom 448 (83.4%) had detectable viral loads. Of these, 398 (88.8%) were assessed for treatment, 394 (99%) were initiated, but only 222 (56.3%) had results returned for SVR12. Among those with SVR12 results, 208 (93.7%) achieved SVR12. When assessing timely care provision, we found 65.9% (95% CI: 62.0, 69.7) of initial viral load results were returned ≤ 30 days of screening; 45% (95% CI: 40.1, 49.8) of people with detectable viral load completed treatment assessment ≤ 90 days of initial viral load results; and 12.5% (95% CI: 9.2, 16.3) of SVR12 results were returned ≤ 210 days of treatment initiation among those who initiated treatment. The overall median time from screening to SVR12 assessment was 437 days. CONCLUSION: Despite high rates of SVR12 among those who completed all stages of the cascade of care, we identified gaps and delays in the treatment cascade. Improving communication between viral load testing hubs and health facilities could reduce the turn-around time for viral load testing, and actively monitor timeliness of care provision could improve quality of HCV care.

Father involvement in the care of children born small and sick in Rwanda: Association with children's nutrition and development.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about father's involvement in the care of children born with perinatal risk factors. This study aimed to understand father's involvement in the care of children born preterm, low birth weight (LBW) and/or with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in rural Rwanda and assess child and home environment factors associated with father involvement. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of children born preterm, LBW or with HIE who were discharged from Kirehe District Hospital neonatal unit from May 2015 to April 2016 and those enrolled in a neonatal unit follow-up programme from May 2016 to November 2017. Interviews were conducted when the children were ages 24-47 months in the child's home. Primary caregivers reported on father involvement in parenting, home environment, child disability, and child development outcomes. Children's nutritional status were directly measured. Only children whose fathers were living in the home were included in the sample. Bivariate analyses were conducted using Fisher's exact test and Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. RESULTS: A total of 236 children aged 24-47 months were included in this study, 66.4% were born preterm or LBW with a mean age of 33.3 months. 73.5% of children were at risk of disability and 77.7% had potential delay in overall child development. 15.5% of fathers reported engaging in four or more activities with their child in the last 3 days. Factors associated with father involvement included smaller household size (p = 0.004), mother engaged in decision-making (p = 0.027), being on-track in developmental milestones for problem solving (p = 0.042) and mother's involvement in learning activities (p = 0.043); the number of activities a father engaged in was significantly associated with the child's overall development (p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: We found that father involvement in activities to support learning was low amongst children born preterm/LBW and/or with HIE. Programme interventions should encourage fathers to engage with their children given the benefits for children's development.

Factors Associated with Loss to Follow-up among Cervical Cancer Patients in Rwanda.

Background: Cervical cancer is among the most common cancers affecting women globally. Where treatment is available in low- and middle-income countries, many women become lost to follow-up (LTFU) at various points of care. Objective: This study assessed predictors of LTFU among cervical cancer patients in rural Rwanda. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of cervical cancer patients enrolled at Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence (BCCOE) between 2012 and 2017 who were either alive and in care or LTFU at 12 months after enrollment. Patients are considered early LTFU if they did not return to clinic after the first visit and late LTFU if they did not return to clinic after the second visit. We conducted two multivariable logistic regressions to determine predictors of early and late LTFU. Findings: Of 652 patients in the program, 312 women met inclusion criteria, of whom 47 (15.1%) were early LTFU, 78 (25.0%) were late LTFU and 187 (59.9%) were alive and in care. In adjusted analyses, patients with no documented disease stage at presentation were more likely to be early LTFU vs. patients with stage 1 and 2 when controlling for other factors (aOR: 14.93, 95% CI 6.12-36.43). Patients who travel long distances (aOR: 2.25, 95% CI 1.11, 4.53), with palliative care as type of treatment received (aOR: 6.65, CI 2.28, 19.40) and patients with missing treatment (aOR: 7.99, CI 3.56, 17.97) were more likely to be late LTFU when controlling for other factors. Patients with ECOG status of 2 and higher were less likely to be late LTFU (aOR: 0.26, 95% CI 0.08, 0.85). Conclusion: Different factors were associated with early and later LTFU. Enhanced patient education, mechanisms to facilitate diagnosis at early stages of disease, and strategies that improve patient tracking and follow-up may reduce LTFU and improve patient retention.