SMS Reminders Improve Patients’ Pharmacy Appointment-keeping for Antiretroviral Refills in Namibia

Patients on lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) may be at risk of forgetting their pharmacy appointments for antiretroviral (ARV) refills. The SMS-based ART pharmacy appointment and medication adherence reminder service provides automated text notifications to ART patients reminding them to pick up their ARV refills according to appointment dates made by pharmacy staff using the SIAPS-supported Electronic Dispensing Tool (EDT). The service was introduced in May 2015 at 10 public-sector ART sites in 6 of Namibia’s 14 regions.