New research co-authored by Professor Marie Claire Van Hout, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact at South East Technological University (SETU), has been published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals.
The article, published in The Lancet (Vol 407, 14 March 2026), reports the findings of a large, multi-country, cluster-randomised trial evaluating integrated community-based care for people living with HIV, diabetes and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa.
This study provides robust evidence that integrated community-based care can safely and effectively support people living with HIV, diabetes and hypertension."
Professor Marie Claire Van Hout
A large multi-country trial across Tanzania and Uganda
The study, titled “Integrated community-based versus facility-based care for people with HIV, diabetes, and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa (INTE-COMM): an open-label, multi country, cluster-randomised trial”, was conducted across 14 primary care facilities in Tanzania and Uganda.
It assessed whether clinically stable patients could be safely and effectively managed through integrated care delivered at community locations, rather than in health facilities.
Community-based care shown to match facility-based outcomes
The trial enrolled 1,864 participants into 124 groups, comparing integrated facility-based care with integrated community-based care over a 12-month period. Outcome measures showed that community-based integrated care was as effective as facility-based care in achieving blood pressure and glucose control among people with diabetes or hypertension, and was non-inferior in maintaining viral suppression among people living with HIV.
The authors conclude that integrated community care can deliver a high standard of chronic disease management without compromising outcomes, offering a viable pathway to decongest overstretched health facilities and improve access to care across sub-Saharan Africa.
Strengthening health systems through community-led care
Professor Marie Claire Van Hout is a co-author on the study and contributed to its design as part of the international RESPOND-AFRICA Consortia.
Commenting on the publication, she said, “This study provides robust evidence that integrated community-based care can safely and effectively support people living with HIV, diabetes and hypertension. As the burden of non-communicable diseases rises across sub-Saharan Africa, models that are people-centred and community-delivered will be critical to strengthening health systems and improving long-term outcomes.”
Global collaboration supporting innovative healthcare solutions
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and involved collaboration between institutions in Uganda, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, and Ireland.
This publication in The Lancet marks another significant international research milestone for Professor Van Hout and for SETU’s growing contribution to global health research and policy.
To view the article in full, please click here.