Evaluating SMS reminders in improving art and PMTCT adherence in Mozambique: Challenges in acheiving scale

Adherence to HIV care and treatment is the main challenge in following up HIV-infected patients in Mozambique. Similarly, adherence to prevention of mother to child transmission programmes is the main challenge in eliminating paediatric AIDS. Despite various interventions to improve patient adherence in Mozambique, the number of patients defaulting from treatment is still increasing. To address this problem, Absolute Return for Kids (ARK) launched a randomized control trial in 2011 to evaluate the impact of SMS reminders on adherence to antiretroviral therapy and prevention of mother to child transmission programmes. If proven effective and cost-effective the programme could be scaled up nationally and expanded to include all pregnant women. However, many HIV-positive pregnant women and women on HIV treatment do not have cell phones or are illiterate. Research has shown that women in sub-Saharan Africa are 23% less likely to own a mobile phone than men [1]. These vulnerable groups will continue to be left out of m-health interventions, such as SMS reminders, that can have considerable impact on their and their families´ health.