The Role of Leadership on Cross-sectoral Collaboration in the HIV-AIDS Program: A Cross-sectional Study in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Introduction: The WHO has introduced cross-sectoral collaboration to control HIV-AIDS, a strategy implemented in Indonesia for over a decade. Despite increasing reported HIV cases from 2005 to March 2021, a 23% gap in identifying estimated HIV-AIDS cases persists. This raises concerns about the collaborative process's effectiveness, where leadership is crucial. This study analyzes the relationship between leadership and the collaborative process of HIV-AIDS prevention and control in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Materials and methods: Data were collected from 328 stakeholders in the HIV-AIDS prevention program across South Sulawesi. Correlation and mean difference tests were used for analysis. Results: There is a significant relationship between the AIDS Commission (KPA) as the cross-sectoral coordinator and the collaborative process, with a strong correlation coefficient of 0.8085. Additionally, a difference in the average collaborative process score among regional government concern groups was observed (p = 0.0001). Lower collaborative process scores indicate lower government attention, suggesting that increased government attention improves the collaborative process. There is also a significant relationship between regional government concern and the presence of the KPA secretariat (Kendall’s coefficient, 0.8085). Conclusion: The KPA and regional government are vital to inter-sectoral collaboration in managing the HIV-AIDS program. An active KPA and increased government attention enhance the collaborative process, highlighting the importance of regional government support for the KPA's coordinating role.