HIV Treatment Services Among Men Who Have Sex with Men During COVID-19 in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are part of the key populations (KPs) that are susceptible to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) acquisition, transmission, and disruptions to access HIV services. This study aimed to explore and describe the HIV interventions implemented among MSM during the COVID-19 lockdown in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province in South Africa. This study followed an exploratory qualitative study design with a purposive sample of 16 men who identified as MSM. Data were collected through in-depth interviews which were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and captured on Atlas.ti. Patterns from the created codes were formulated into themes/sub-themes guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The MSM had a mean age of 27.9 years. Various constructs and domains of the CFIR showed that during the COVID-19 lockdown, MSM encountered a disruption of HIV services. The response time was elongated, thus increasing the complexity of interventions. Interventions were implemented to ensure continuity of services. These included tailoring the programme through a door-to-door strategy and offering resources to healthcare facilities to enable MSM to access antiretroviral therapy (ART) and related services. The relative advantage of the programme is that it prioritises MSM. Future research should look into COVID-19’s impact on a bigger scale.