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AfroCentric INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2016
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AID FOR AIDS
STRATEGY
Afa’s strategy is founded on three pillars: client retention
and satisfaction, growth and efficiency. This strategy is being
implemented through the following ongoing activities:
• Continuous improvement of the service offering with a
specific focus on the UNAIDS’ ambitious treatment targets
(90-90-90) which aim to assist with the AIDS epidemic.
• Growth by targeting new clients, expanding services to
existing clients and by expanding into new markets in the
NGO space and the public sector. AfA is exploring the
potential of public-private partnerships to penetrate these
new markets.
• Streamlining the existing service delivery model in order
to decrease the cost of running the programme without
impacting negatively on quality of the service rendered.
This includes greater automation of processes.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
AfA can offer more holistic patient management, treating
co-morbidities more effectively and managing the long-term
effects of antiretroviral treatment through greater integration
with Medscheme’s existing programmes and technology
developments such as the electronic health record and
wellness activities.
With the expansion of the Group, AfA is able to integrate
services with other Group companies. Changes are being
implemented as a result of collaboration with other
partners within the Group. For example, collaboration
with Pharmacy Direct will ensure improved adherence to
medication, resulting in better clinical outcomes such as viral
load suppression. AfA intends to continue to leverage the
healthcare value chain represented by the Group to deliver
quality of life improvements for all patients in its care.
AfA offers a quality product, measured via clinical outcomes
such as viral load suppression, CD4 count, number of
opportunistic infections and other recognised evidence-
based indications that HIV is being effectively managed.
Many competing products are not able to substantiate their
outcomes in this way. Clients and potential clients may,
however, lack the expertise and ability to distinguish between
the various products available and may make purchasing
decisions based on the service price alone rather than the
outcomes achieved. This represents a risk to AfA.
HIV is now perceived to be a manageable chronic condition
rather than a life-threatening disease (which, thanks to
antiretroviral therapy, it is) and public awareness is shifting
from HIV to chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and
hypertension. Global disease management systems are also
moving away from the management of a single disease to
comprehensive management of the individual with chronic
disease(s) – whether communicable or non-communicable.
Greater integration with Medscheme’s Active Disease Risk
Management programme will assist AfA to minimise this risk.
PERFORMANCE AND OUTLOOK
AfA continues to provide a valuable service by improving
the clinical outcomes of people living with HIV. This in turn
reduces the financial risk to employers and medical schemes.
As AfA moves ever closer to achieving the UNAIDS treatment
targets, this value proposition will be further enhanced. As
a result, the outlook for AfA remains favourable. Expansion
into new markets and significant client growth is, however,
challenging in the current environment.
Aid for AIDS (“AfA”) was the first HIV management programme introduced in South Africa and
remains the leading HIV disease management programme in the private sector (both medical schemes
and corporates). It also plays a role in collaborating with government-led task teams and forums to
challenge the epidemic, thereby extending services to the public sector.
AfA is able
to integrate
services into
those of other
Group companies