ANALYSIS OF VIROLOGICAL MONITORING AND VIRAL LOAD RETENTION AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AT THE LABORATOIRE D’ANALYSES MÉDICALES MALAGASY FROM 2022 TO 2024

Introduction: HIV infection remains a major global public health issue. Although Madagascar has a low HIV prevalence (0.3%), biological monitoring remains challenging. Viral load is the key indicator of antiretroviral treatment effectiveness. Objective: To evaluate baseline viral load and virological retention among people living with HIV in order to assess treatment performance. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Laboratoire d’ Analyses Médicales Malagasy (LA2M) using records of patients who underwent HIV viral load testing between February 2022 and February 2024. Exhaustive sampling was used. Results: A total of 4,964 records were included, predominantly men (59.83%) and individuals aged 25–49 years (67.6%). Routine follow-up was the main reason for testing (62.8%), and the TDF/3TC/DTG treatment was the most prescribed (82.30%). Viral suppression rates (<1000 copies/ml) were high: 88.1% after 6 months of ART, 89.4% after 12 months, and 90.6% during routine follow-up. Conclusion: Most people living with HIV achieved and maintained an undetectable viral load, reflecting satisfactory effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy and the relevance of biological monitoring at the national level. Strengthening regular viral load monitoring and improving result transmission are recommended for sustainable epidemic control.