Since June 2021, AMBSO partnered with Makerere University Johns Hopkins university Research Collaboration (MUJHU) to conduct a study code named SIENA (EStimating HIV incidEnce amoNng Adolescent Girls and Young Women- AGYWs, funded by Gilead Sciences Inc. The study is being conducted at 2 sites; Hoima, and Mityana/Mubende.

The aim of the study is to estimate HIV incidence among AGYWs aged 16-25 years who are at a high risk of getting HIV in the aforementioned districts and also, to compare HIV incidence estimated using the Asanté™ HIV-1 Rapid Recency® Assay POC kit with that obtained using Sedia™ HIV-1 LAg-Avidity EIA and Abbort ACRHITECT Avidity EIA assays.

The Study sample size for the 2 study sites is ~ 736 AGYWs aged 16-25 years with unknown HIV status but at risk of HIV infection. These are recruited from health facilities, entertainment places, commercial sex parlours, streets or through peer approach means.

Study findings will help to inform decision for including sites in a bigger multi-site, multi-national PrEP clinical trial that will evaluate the safety & efficacy of twice-yearly long-acting subcutaneous Lenacapavir and daily oral Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide for PrEP in AGYWs at risk of HIV infection that will be conducted at possibly 4 sites (Masaka, Kalangala, Mityana/Mubende and Hoima). The Hoima site and the Mityana/Mubenssrcde sites will wait for the SIENA results to be confirmed to participate in the study based on background HIV incidence among girls of the target age group.