From Awareness to Agency: The National Integrated Toolkit for Treatment Literacy as South Africa’s Next Frontier in Adherence and Empowerment
1
HIV/AIDS&STIs, National Department of Health, Pretoria, South Africa
2
Nursing Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
3
HIV Prevention, Treatment Care and Support, World Health Organization, Pretoria, South Africa
4
HIV prevention, treatment care and support, Independent Consultant, Pretoria, South Africa
5
Health Programmes, BroadReach Health Development., Cape Town, South Africa
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3146
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Persistent challenges related to adherence, misinformation, and disengagement from care continue to undermine treatment outcomes for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa(1). To address these gaps, the National Department of Health (NDOH), in collaboration with civil society, networks of (PLHIV), and development partners, developed the National Integrated Toolkit for Treatment Literacy (NITTL) as a critical enabler of South Africa’s HIV response. The toolkit provides a unified, evidence-based framework to strengthen understanding, adherence, and client agency in support of progress toward the 95-95-95 targets Developed through a consultative process engaging broad stakeholders, the NITTL consolidates existing materials into a modular suite covering basic fundamentals of HIV, adherence to treatment, U=U, differentiated service delivery, advanced HIV disease (AHD), and TB/HIV integration. The toolkit employs a two-tiered delivery model, combining facility-based client education, visual job aids, and provider competency modules with adaptable community-level content for peer support, outreach, and mass media. The toolkit is accompanied by a national rollout plan across all nine provinces, using print media alongside digital platforms (Department of Health Knowledge Hub and WhatsApp-based micro-learning The NITTL represents the first standardised national treatment literacy resource responding to the urgent needs of both the clients and health providers. Expected outcomes include improved adherence, increased viral suppression, and strengthened re-engagement in care, particularly among men, adolescents, and pregnant women. By reinforcing implementation of the 2025 Consolidated ART Guidelines(2), the toolkit positions treatment literacy as a cornerstone of sustained HIV control in South Africa The National Integrated Toolkit for Treatment Literacy demonstrates the importance of meaningful stakeholder engagement in delivering responsive programming for improved health outcomes through prioritising treatment literacy.
Persistent challenges related to adherence, misinformation, and disengagement from care continue to undermine treatment outcomes for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa(1). To address these gaps, the National Department of Health (NDOH), in collaboration with civil society, networks of (PLHIV), and development partners, developed the National Integrated Toolkit for Treatment Literacy (NITTL) as a critical enabler of South Africa’s HIV response. The toolkit provides a unified, evidence-based framework to strengthen understanding, adherence, and client agency in support of progress toward the 95-95-95 targets Developed through a consultative process engaging broad stakeholders, the NITTL consolidates existing materials into a modular suite covering basic fundamentals of HIV, adherence to treatment, U=U, differentiated service delivery, advanced HIV disease (AHD), and TB/HIV integration. The toolkit employs a two-tiered delivery model, combining facility-based client education, visual job aids, and provider competency modules with adaptable community-level content for peer support, outreach, and mass media. The toolkit is accompanied by a national rollout plan across all nine provinces, using print media alongside digital platforms (Department of Health Knowledge Hub and WhatsApp-based micro-learning The NITTL represents the first standardised national treatment literacy resource responding to the urgent needs of both the clients and health providers. Expected outcomes include improved adherence, increased viral suppression, and strengthened re-engagement in care, particularly among men, adolescents, and pregnant women. By reinforcing implementation of the 2025 Consolidated ART Guidelines(2), the toolkit positions treatment literacy as a cornerstone of sustained HIV control in South Africa The National Integrated Toolkit for Treatment Literacy demonstrates the importance of meaningful stakeholder engagement in delivering responsive programming for improved health outcomes through prioritising treatment literacy.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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