Vol 14 Issue 2 October 2026-March 2027

Abstract:  Background and Objectives: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the cornerstone of HIV management, yet ART default, defined as missing scheduled doses or clinic visits for 30 days or more, remains a significant public health challenge in resource-limited settings. Despite the expansion of ART services in Ghana, adherence rates remain suboptimal in many communities, including Kwaebibirem Municipality. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors influencing ART default among patients living with HIV attending an ART clinic in Kwaebibirem Municipality, Eastern Region, Ghana.

Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Kade Government Hospital, the primary ART service centre in Kwaebibirem Municipality. A total of 253 patients living with HIV, aged 18 years and above, who had been on ART for a minimum of six months and were actively registered at the facility, were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires, complemented by 8–10 key informant interviews with healthcare providers. Predictors of ART default were identified using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: The prevalence of ART default was 27.7% (95% CI: 22.5–33.5%). The most commonly reported reasons for missing doses were forgetfulness (57.1%) and perceived clinical improvement (54.3%). In the adjusted analysis, experiencing ART side effects (aOR=3.13; 95% CI: 1.64–5.98; p=0.001) and difficulty taking medication in the presence of others (aOR=2.91; 95% CI: 1.10–7.73; p=0.032) were significantly associated with higher odds of default, while higher monthly income was independently protective against default.

Conclusions: ART default in Kwaebibirem Municipality is a significant concern. Economic hardship, medication side effects, and HIV-related stigma are key drivers of non-adherence. Targeted interventions including side-effect management, stigma-reduction programmes, and economic support for patients are urgently needed to improve ART retention and treatment outcomes.

Keywords:  ART default; HIV; antiretroviral therapy adherence; Ghana.

Title: Factors Influencing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Default among Patients Living with HIV in Kwaebibirem Municipality: A Facility-Based Study

Author: Ameyaw Patrick, Brainard Ayisi Asare, Stephen Quarcoo, Samuel Bortier Borlabi, Punguyire Damien, Moses Barima Djimatey, Kennedy T.C Brightson

International Journal of Healthcare Sciences

ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)

Vol. 14, Issue 2, October 2026 - March 2027

Page No: 13-23

Research Publish Journals

Website: www.researchpublish.com

Published Date: 08-October-2026

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare through prediction, classification, and automation, and Indian hospitals are beginning to adopt machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), computer vision (CV), and robotic process automation (RPA) across both clinical and administrative functions. This narrative review synthesises the emerging evidence on AI-led governance and hospital management in India, tracing how these techniques are being used to strengthen diagnostic accuracy, forecast patient demand, and optimise bed and staff allocation in real time. The evidence points to genuine but uneven progress: national instruments such as NITI Aayog’s #AIforAll strategy and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 establish a policy direction, yet institutional readiness, workforce capacity, and enforcement mechanisms remain inconsistent across public, private, and charitable providers. Persistent concerns include diffuse accountability, uneven data protection, and the black-boxing of clinical algorithms whose reasoning administrators and clinicians cannot easily inspect. To address these gaps, this review proposes a five-layer governance framework, built so that each layer’s functions are mutually exclusive and, together, collectively exhaustive of the governance task, spanning data infrastructure, analytical intelligence, operational application, governance and safeguards, and measured outcomes. A situated-ethics approach, one that treats India’s geographic disparity and uneven infrastructure as starting conditions rather than afterthoughts, runs through the analysis. Good AI governance, this review argues, treats AI as a monitored and accountable partner in hospital administration rather than a self-sufficient solution.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence; healthcare governance; hospital management; digital health; algorithmic governance; India.

Title: AI-Led Governance in Hospital & Healthcare Management in India: A narrative review of applications, frameworks and regulatory considerations

Author: Meghna Mishra, Bincy Pothen

International Journal of Healthcare Sciences

ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)

Vol. 14, Issue 2, October 2026 - March 2027

Page No: 1-12

Research Publish Journals

Website: www.researchpublish.com

Published Date: 03-October-2026