EMPOWERING HEALTH WORKERS: TRAINING INITIATIVES IN HIV PREVENTION

Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu* and Salma Abdi Mahmoud

ABSTRACT

Training health workers is a fundamental aspect of strengthening HIV prevention efforts globally, especially in regions with high HIV prevalence. These initiatives aim to enhance the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of healthcare providers, enabling them to deliver comprehensive prevention, treatment, and care services to individuals at risk or living with HIV. This review explores various successful training initiatives aimed at empowering health workers, including their impact on increasing HIV testing rates, improving prevention strategies, and reducing stigma. It also highlights the challenges faced in implementing effective training programs, such as limited resources, workforce shortages, and social stigmas surrounding HIV. Effective training programs, such as those implemented by international organizations and national health systems, provide health workers with the tools to address HIV transmission, prevention strategies like PrEP, and patient counseling. These programs have been successful in various settings, leading to improved healthcare delivery, better patient outcomes, and increased awareness in communities. Additionally, the inclusion of continuous professional development ensures that health workers stay up-to-date with new HIV prevention methods and treatment protocols, which is crucial to the success of HIV care programs.

Keywords: HIV prevention, health workers, training initiatives, healthcare access, capacity building.