At a glance
CDC works with partners in El Salvador to build sustainable public health capacity, strengthen laboratory systems and surveillance networks, deliver high-quality HIV diagnostic, treatment, and prevention services, and respond swiftly to disease outbreaks at their source, preventing health threats from reaching the U.S.
Strategic focus
Since 2003, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has collaborated with the Ministry of Health to respond to the HIV epidemic in El Salvador. CDC supports countries in Central America in achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV testing, treatment and viral load suppression targets.
Through partnership with governments, civil society, and partners, CDC prioritizes interventions directly impacting services for PLHIV and people at greater risk for HIV. CDC supports the expansion of evidence-based programs to bridge the gaps around HIV prevention, case finding, early ART initiation, treatment, and viral load suppression to strengthen systems essential for a sustainable HIV response.
Read more about CDC's most recent key activities and accomplishments below.
Building public health capacity
- Advanced treatment and introduced differentiated service delivery models, such as pharmacy fast-track refill, multi-month prescriptions, high viral load tracking, management, counseling, and follow-up.
- Improved access to HIV testing for undiagnosed PLHIV. Improvements included active case-finding strategies such as testing people at greater risk of HIV through outreach, testing partners and household members of PLHIV, quality testing offered by providers, community testing, and a new self-testing strategy specifically targeting men.
- Introduced the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) model, an innovative tele-mentoring initiative. The model uses virtual trainings led by experts to support healthcare providers in delivering best-in-practice care to underserved communities in the region. Through Project ECHO, CDC created virtual communities of practice in HIV prevention, laboratory testing, treatment, and strategic information.
- Launched the Continuous Quality Improvement Training Initiative, where participants learned how to apply concepts in the clinical setting to improve HIV services.
- Established the HIV Rapid Test Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative and conducted evaluations to ensure optimal program use.
Strengthening laboratory systems and networks
- Evaluated and improved the specimen referral, equipment, quality management systems, technology, information, and coverage of viral load networks.
HIV prevention and treatment
- Supported a comprehensive treatment package that included Track and Trace Pre-ART to connect newly diagnosed PLHIV to care. This ensured access to ART clinics, rapid ART initiation, diagnosis, and management of HIV advanced disease and opportunistic infections, counseling, and appropriate follow-up.
- Supported the retention and re-engagement of PLHIV who are not in care or not virally suppressed.
By the numbers
HIV
Estimated HIV Prevalence (Ages 15-49)
0.5% (2023)
Estimated HIV Deaths (Age≥15)
Reported Number Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (Age≥15)
TB
Estimated TB Incidence
84/100,000 (2023)
6.1% (2023)
TB Treatment Success Rate
86% (2022)