Uptake and predictors of viral load testing and viral suppression among people receiving antiretroviral therapy in mainland Tanzania

Abstract Background Routine viral load monitoring is essential for assessing treatment effectiveness and for achieving global HIV treatment targets. Although viral load testing capacity has expanded across sub-Saharan Africa, gaps remain in monitoring coverage and equitable treatment outcomes. National-level analyses examining viral load uptake, suppression, and geographic variation in Tanzania remain limited. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational analysis using routinely collected HIV programme data from the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme (NASHCoP) Care and Treatment Clinic database. The analysis included 70,000 individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy between 2017 and 2021 across all regions of mainland Tanzania. Viral load uptake was defined as the presence of at least one documented viral load test during the observation period. Viral suppression was defined as a viral load result