HIV/AIDS and the international cooperation / Medicus Mundi Switzerland

aidsfocus.ch - the Swiss Platform on HIV/AIDS and International Cooperation

aidsfocus.ch is a Swiss specialist platform on HIV/AIDS and international cooperation, a voluntary merger of organisations involved in international cooperation focused on supporting people affected by HIV/AIDS. aidsfocus is a project of the Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland. The partners of the aidsfocus.ch platform share the joint vision that a future without AIDS is possible. Access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care is a right that needs to be respected and realized for all people globally.

MMS/aidsfocus.ch as representative of the civil society at the High Level Meeting in New York from 8 to 10 June

MMS / aidsfocus.ch was asked to represent the civil society in the Swiss delegation to the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, to be held in New York from 8 to 10 June 2016. This meeting is co-facilitated by Switzerland and Zambia on behalf of the President of the UN General Assembly. Since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals this meeting has taken place every five years, the last time in 2011. The adopted political declarations, to which Switzerland has contributed significantly, influenced the fight against HIV / AIDS worldwide. The political declaration, which is expected in June, provides an important basis for achieving to eliminate AIDS epidemic by 2030 (target 3.3) and the Agenda 2030 in general.

MMS/aidsfocus.ch participated at the 35th Board Meeting of the Global Fund

35th Global Fund Board Meeting, 26-27 April 2016 in Abidjan - The Global Fund Board has approved the new strategy to guide the organization for the next six years. MMS/aidsfocus.ch participated at the 35th Board Meeting in Abidjan. Important decision points were approved.

MMS/aidsfocus.ch in the Swiss Delegation to the Global Fond Board

Since last year, MMS/aidsfocus.ch has been a part of the Swiss delegation within the Canadian and Australian "constituency" to the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We are tasked with bringing in the voices, concerns and wishes of civil society in order to bridge the gap between the donor, meaning Switzerland, and the implementers and final beneficiaries. The Board is the Global Fund's highest body – the aim is to collectively shoulder responsibility and a strong commitment is expected from all those involved.

How long will Russia still ignore the HIV epidemic?

In contrast to international trends, "HIV is spreading (in Russia) with increasing speed, with about 95,000 new cases in 2015 compared with 90,000 in 2014, most of them from drug use and heterosexual sex. That represents a much higher per-capita rate than in the UK, for instance, where there were 6,151 new HIV diagnoses in 2014," writes the journal The Guardian in an impressive report. (Photo: Eric Constantineau / flickr)

On the Fast-Track to end AIDS

UNAIDS adopted a new strategy to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. The UNAIDS 2016–2021 Strategy is one of the first in the United Nations system to be aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals, which set the framework for global development policy over the next 15 years, including ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

Young, indigent, HIV-positive: A report from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV-rates in the world. 15 % of the population is infected. In the Newlands Clinic in Harare, which is founded by the Swiss medical doctor Professor Ruedi Lüthy, over 5500 patients are treated. Treating children and adolescents are especially challenging for the medical staff.

World must drastically accelerate AIDS efforts or face more HIV infections and deaths than five years ago—says UNAIDS and Lancet Commission

Countries most affected by HIV must focus on stopping new HIV infections and expanding access to antiretroviral treatment or risk the epidemic rebounding, urges a major new report from the UNAIDS and Lancet Commission. After more than a decade of major achievements, the AIDS response is at a crucial juncture, both in terms of its immediate trajectory and its sustainability, as well as its place in the new global health and development agendas.

Video about the highlights of this years aidsfocus.ch conference

This year’s annual aidsfocus conference focused on vulnerable groups such as sex workers, disabled people, gay and lesbians; migrants and prisoners. A video documents some of the highlight of it.

Sexuality education is one of the important as well as an effective tool in prevention of HIV/AIDS

Emery Mpwate (HIV/AIDS Regional Advisor, Mission 21) writes in an article for aidsfocus.ch on sexual education in a religious context: "Our goal is zero new transmission. That is why; we have trained Pastors, leaders of Women, Men and youth fellowship on life skills-culture- sexuality-Christianity and HIV Infection. We ask them to get tested and to learn how to enjoy sex was a gift from God without any known risks."

For a strong Positioning of HIV/AIDS in the post-2015 Agenda.

During the last 35th UNAIDS Board, taking place December 9-11 in Geneva, a series of important issues were discussed and adopted, such as the time frame of the present UNAIDS Strategy, measures to be taken to improve access to antiretroviral drugs (incl. the full use of the flexibilities under the TRIPS agreement) or the treatment, care and support of HIV-positive children. Read the Topic of the Month on our aidsfocus-Website.

Home-Based Versus Mobile Clinic HIV Testing and Counseling in Rural Lesotho: A Cluster-Randomized Trial

The Swiss based organisation SolidarMed has published a study on PLOS Medicine on HIV testing and counseling in rural Lesotho: "The success of HIV programs relies on widely accessible HIV testing and counseling (HTC) services at health facilities as well as in the community. Home-based HTC (HB-HTC) is a popular community-based approach to reach persons who do not test at health facilities. Data comparing HB-HTC to other community-based HTC approaches are very limited. This trial compares HB-HTC to mobile clinic HTC (MC-HTC)."

Majority of people with HIV have no access to ART

On the occasion of World Aids Day 2014 a parliamentarian group of british MPs have published a report that shows, that two-thirds of adults with HIV, and three-quarters of the children, are not on treatment. Pamela Nash, president of the cross-party group, told The Guardian: “This is a stark warning to governments, including the UK, that if we fail to address the barriers to access we will ultimately lose the battle to control and end the epidemic."

«Positiv leben!»

«Positiv leben!» - unter diesem Titel brachte Claudia Zeising, ökumenische Mitarbeiterin von Mission 21 in Tansania, ein Buch heraus. Es porträtiert Menschen aus der HIV-Selbsthilfegruppe «Lusubilo» in Tansania. Der Kurzfilm stellt das Buch vor.

Documentation of the aidsfocus.ch conference 2015

“We’ve seen a growth of experience, in political commitment, and in the mobilisation of civil societies and community activism. But the gap between those achievements and ending the epidemic is still too wide. People are still left behind”, says Sally Smith from UNAIDS at the 14th aidsfocus.ch conference on 7th May 2015 in Bern.

Young, indigent, HIV-positive: A report from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV-rates in the world. 15 % of the population is infected. In the Newlands Clinic in Harare, which is founded by the Swiss medical doctor Professor Ruedi Lüthy, over 5500 patients are treated. Treating children and adolescents are especially challenging for the medical staff. Topic of the month from the aidsfocus.ch partnerorganisation Swiss Aids Care International.

UNAIDS calls on countries to step up global action and proposes bold new HIV targets for 2025

"As COVID-19 pushes the AIDS response even further off track and the 2020 targets are missed, UNAIDS is urging countries to learn from the lessons of underinvesting in health and to step up global action to end AIDS and other pandemics.

VIH/sida - Journée mondiale 2020: Appel contre les discriminations

Le 1er décembre est la journée mondiale consacrée à la riposte au VIH ainsi qu’à la solidarité avec les personnes vivant avec le VIH. En Suisse, les personnes vivant avec le VIH sont encore aujourd’hui confrontées à des préjugés qui conduisent à des discriminations dans leur vie de tous les jours. Avec sa campagne « STOP à la discrimination », l’Aide suisse contre le sida sensibilise la population : une personne vivant avec le VIH sous traitement ne transmet pas le virus, ni dans la vie de tous les jours, ni lors de rapports sexuels.

Why are we failing to end AIDS? Engaging with the politics of data

"This fifth episode of the Right On Podcast, recorded for the American Anthropological Association annual conference, brings together co-hosts Meg Davis and Ryan Whitacre with medical anthropologist Prof. Cal Biruk and UN Development Programme policy officer Kenechukwu Esom to explore how human rights and quantification collide in the global HIV response."

Diskriminiert wegen HIV – in der Schweiz weiterhin an der Tagesordnung

Der Welt-Aids-Tag am 1. Dezember 2020 steht im Zeichen des Kampfes gegen HIV und für die Solidarität mit Betroffenen. Doch wie geht es Menschen mit HIV im Jahr 2020 in der Schweiz? Die der Aids-Hilfe Schweiz gemeldeten Diskriminierungen zeigen: Noch immer machen Unwissen und Vorurteile ihnen das Leben schwer. Autor: Nathan Schocher, Aids-Hilfe Schweiz

Melissa’s story: Out of School and at Risk of HIV and Violence During Lockdown

"On World AIDS Day 2020, COVID-19 is showing once again how health is interlinked with human rights, gender equality, social protection and economic growth. With the theme of “Global solidarity, shared responsibility” the Global Fund is highlighting the increased risks the global pandemic has created in the fight against HIV among adolescent girls and young women."

Q&A: Putting AIDS back on the priority list in Asia

"HIV/AIDS may have fallen off the priority list for many countries and international bodies with the arrival of COVID-19, but advocacy for adequately funded responses must continue, according to Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, president of the International AIDS Society.

Annotated Outline of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-–2026

"The Annotated Outline for the "Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: A people-centred HIV response" has been prepared for the PCB as requested at the 46th PCB in June 2020. The purpose of the Annotated Outline is to provide an outline of the key components of the next Strategy, which has been consolidated on the basis of the evidence review and inputs from stakeholders that emerged from the consultations between May and November 2020, in line with Option 2. Stakeholders reaffirmed the vision of zero new HIV infections, zero HIV-related discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

The Global Fund Results Report 2020

"At the end of 2019 there was a palpable sense of excitement and expectation across the Global Fund partnership as we celebrated the success of the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment conference in Lyon, France. 54Letter from the Executive DirectorLetter from the Executive DirectorResponding to our challenge to Step Up the Fight, the world had committed more than US$14 billion – the largest sum ever raised by the Global Fund, and the largest international fundraising in global health ever. This success meant we could increase country allocations by 23.4% for the next three-year grant cycle, a huge step towards getting the world back on track towards ending the three epidemics by 2030. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and everything changed."

The Impact of COVID-19 on HIV, TB and Malaria Services and Systems for Health

"In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world beyond imagination. To date, it has infected more than 135 million people, killed over 2.9 million people, and is projected to plunge up to 115 million people into extreme poverty.1 As countries have gone into lockdown, gender-based violence has increased, unemployment has soared, and access to health care for the poorest and most vulnerable has been cut. COVID-19 has made people less likely to seek health care because they are afraid of getting infected with the virus. Fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 have also increased stigma and discrimination. As frontline workers without enough access to personal protective equipment (PPE) risk their lives to treat patients, the virus pushes already fragile health systems to the brink."

Addressing Inequalities and Getting Back on Track to End AIDS by 2030

"There has been intensive action and progress against HIV in some places and population groups, while inaction in other places has allowed HIV epidemics to expand and deaths to mount. Six years after the United Nations General Assembly set an ambitious global goal to end AIDS by 2030, momentum is being lost. Global targets for 2020, agreed in the 2016 Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, were missed. The stark contrast of successes in some areas and failures in others confirms that HIV remains a pandemic of inequalities. (...) The upcoming High-Level Meeting on AIDS provides a critical opportunity to advance this strategy, which includes new, ambitious global targets for 2025."

Sign the Civil Society Declaration for 2021 HLM on HIV/AIDS

"We are thrilled to be launching the HLM 2021 Civil Society Declaration. There is a crisis in the HIV response. Over the last five years, the world has failed to meet any of the targets for prevention, diagnosis and treatment set out in the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, with progress on HIV prevention lagging particularly far behind. The 2021 high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS – and the Political Declaration that results from it – is the last chance to create sustained momentum for the policies, programmes and funding that are needed to end HIV as a global health threat by 2030."

Statement in response to zero draft 2021 political declaration

"The Multi-Stakeholder Task Force particularly welcomes the fact that the zero draft not only recognizes explicitly who is most at risk of HIV, but also acknowledges why this is so. We equally salute the commitment to fully fund effective, human rights- and evidence-based responses, as demanded by the Civil Society Declaration for the 2021 High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. Communities and civil society, as actors in the global AIDS response, have for decades called for human rights- and evidence-based combination prevention, treatment and care. Such programmes could have made the end of AIDS a reality by now. It is past time to take them to scale globally."

The world can only beat AIDS by ending the inequalities that drive the epidemic, argue Winnie Byanyima and Tomas Tobé

"Forty years since the first cases of AIDS were diagnosed, the fight against HIV goes on. Although the world has developed the scientific knowledge and medical expertise to keep people living with HIV alive and healthy and prevent new HIV infections, we are not on track to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. (...) The medicines, information, and prevention tools are simply not reaching the people who need them most. We need a new approach that reduces the inequalities that drive the AIDS epidemic and puts people at the centre, prioritising human rights, respect, and dignity."

Statement in Response to Adoption of 2021 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS

"Four decades after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first known cases of HIV/AIDS in its historic report of June 5 1981, the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS represents a transformational moment in the global AIDS response. Communities and civil society voices calling to get back on track to end AIDS by 2030 through supporting a fully funded, human rights- and evidence-based response have been heard by the global community. We affirm the progress represented by the Political Declaration, even as we are disappointed by some critical omissions and weaknesses. We pledge our action and vigilance to ensure that these are addressed as the work of moving towards an AIDS-free world continues."

Despite UN Endorsement – Ambitious Goal to End HIV/AIDS By 2030 Threatened By Realities on the Ground

"UNAIDS hailed a new political roadmap to end HIV/AIDS by 2030 as a “major feat”, but admitted that its implementation would remain a challenge – along with devising ways to measure how inequalities in access to prevention and treatment are reduced for people and groups most at risk. (...) Despite opposition from Russia, UN Member States voted this week overwhelmingly in favour of the declaration which is a roadmap for combatting the disease over the coming years. Byanyima said the targets contained in the declaration were iprepared by UNAIDS using an “inequalities” lens."

Education Plus launched in response to alarming rates of HIV among adolescent girls and young women in Africa

"Five United Nations organizations have joined forces to launch a new initiative to ensure that all girls and boys in sub-Saharan Africa have equal access to free secondary education by 2025 and to contribute towards preventing HIV. Education Plus, launched at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France, is an ambitious five-year high-level drive to accelerate action and investments to expand access to secondary education for all young people and to advance adolescent girls’ and young women’s health, education and rights in sub-Saharan Africa."

How the Global Fund is Responding to COVID-19

"The Delta variant is causing a massive surge in COVID-19 infections across the globe. Due to vaccine inequity, health systems in low- and middle-income countries lack the vaccines to stop the virus. With U.S. and other donors support, the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism is strengthening national COVID-19 responses while protecting life-saving AIDS, TB and malaria programs. Through grants, the Global Fund is supplying essential health products like diagnostic tests, PPE and medical oxygen."

Guidance on the rights-based and ethical use of digital technologies in HIV and health programmes

"This Guidance outlines key ethical, technical and human rights considerations for countries adopting digital technologies for HIV and health. It also presents a practical checklist and recommendations for governments, private sector companies and donor agencies to support countries in their decision-making on the adoption of digital technologies in HIV and health programmes."

How COVID-19 changed the approach to HIV

"As the pandemic spread across the globe, lockdowns and other restrictions designed to curb COVID-19 raised other health risks, particularly in people living with HIV, who feared their access to lifesaving services might be interrupted. Instead, new methods — often designed by patients — of meeting their needs, began cropping up in communities of people living with HIV around the world."

COVID-19 Hit HIV, TB and Malaria Programs Hard, But We’re Fighting Back

"The Results Report published by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria last week illustrates how COVID-19 has pushed us off track in significant ways – particularly with respect to access to tuberculosis (TB) and HIV diagnoses and treatment. But at the same time, there is better news with respect to the battle against malaria. And all in all, the picture would be far worse, without the rapid and determined actions that took place across the Global Fund partnership."

Leveraging the HIV Response for stronger Health Systems and Pandemic Preparedness

"The need to strengthen health systems and ensure they work for people in all their diversity has never been more pressing. (...) To obtain insights into how the HIV response might be serving as a pathway to stronger health systems in the context of COVID-19, we conducted 34 key informant interviews in six countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam) in February and March 2021. As the case studies that accompany this report reveal, these countries represent a range of experiences with both HIV and COVID-19, varying levels of national income, and important differences in health systems."

Global Fund Board Approves New Strategy Placing People and Communities at Center to Lead Fight Against HIV, TB, Malaria, to Build Systems for Health, Equity and Strengthen Preparedness

"The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria approved the new Global Fund Strategy: Fighting Pandemics and Building a Healthier and More Equitable World. The new Strategy places people and communities front and center of the fight against HIV, TB, malaria and accelerates the shift to more integrated, people-centered models of prevention, treatment and care. Strengthening the leadership and engagement of communities living with and affected by the diseases will reinforce this unique strength of the Global Fund partnership and tackle barriers to effective participation and leadership."

MMS Health for All Podcast

Season 5 of the MMS podcast "Health for All" profiles people working to end the AIDS epidemic.

Identification of fast-spreading HIV variant provides evidence of urgency to halt the pandemic and reach all with testing and treatment

"GENEVA, 7 February 2022—Newly published research from the Netherlands has revealed the existence of a more transmissible and damaging variant of HIV. People living with the newly revealed HIV subtype experience double the rate of immune system decline (CD4 count), have higher HIV viral loads (amount of virus in the blood) and are vulnerable to developing AIDS two to three times faster after diagnosis than if they were living with other strains of the virus. The study, led by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Big Data Institute, was the first to discover this highly virulent variant of the subtype-B of HIV. The study also revealed that the variant has been circulating in the Netherlands for years and remains receptive to HIV treatment."

Five African Presidents Launch Global Fund's US$18 Billion Campaign to Restore Progress Against AIDS, TB and Malaria Amid COVID-19 Disruption

"The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of Senegal, and the Republic of South Africa launched the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment campaign today at a global health summit held virtually. "We are extremely grateful to their Excellencies Presidents Kagame, Kenyatta, Ramaphosa, Sall, and Tshisekedi for co-hosting the high-level Preparatory Meeting to launch the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment," emphasized Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Chair of the Global Fund Board. "This demonstrates their commitment and leadership in the fight against the three epidemics within their respective countries and illustrates Africa's strong engagement and partnership with the Global Fund. Today, they are calling on the world to join them in their determination to reach this ambitious goal to end HIV, TB and malaria by 2030 and build strong national health systems to respond to emerging pandemics."

Human rights and HIV in the digital age: What role for the UN and governments?

"This event explored the role of the United Nations and governments in driving rights-based use of digital technologies for HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights."

President Biden Signals a $6 billion U.S. Pledge for the Seventh Replenishment and Offers to Match $1 for Every $2 Contributed by Other Donors

"The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria enthusiastically welcomes President Joe Biden’s request to the United States Congress for a commitment of US$2 billion for the Global Fund for fiscal year 2023, the first year of the Global Fund’s 2023-2025 funding cycle. President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget includes “… a $2 billion contribution for the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, for an intended pledge of $6 billion over three years….” The White House notes that the United States will “match $1 for every $2 contributed by other donors.”

'Our Loss is World’s Gain’; African Leaders on Nkengasong’s Confirmation to Head PEPFAR

"African leaders have applauded the US move to appoint John Nkengasong as head of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Reliefs (PEPFAR) – saying he’ll reinvigorate the programme that has been a flagship for the global battle against the AIDS pandemic for nearly decades. But they also said the loss of Nkgengasong as head of the African Union’s Centers for Disease Control (Africa CDC), would be a blow to the Organization that he built from a virtual unknown into a full-fledged AU health agency during his five-year tenure."

Sida en Afrique : le temps de l’espoir

"De la prévention au dépistage du VIH en passant par l’accès aux traitements et l’accompagnement dans les soins, des progrès considérables ont été accomplis au cours des dernières décennies. Mais beaucoup reste à faire pour endiguer la pandémie. Pour le continent africain, ce sont des expériences porteuses d’espoir. Celui d’atteindre à l’horizon 2030 l’objectif fixé par l’Onusida des « trois 95 » : 95 % des personnes vivant avec le VIH connaissant leur statut sérologique, 95 % des personnes infectées sous traitement antirétroviral (ARV) durable et 95 % des personnes sous traitement ayant une charge virale indétectable et donc non contagieuses."

Global AIDS leaders raise alarm on the danger of millions of preventable deaths stating that only bold action to tackle inequalities can end the AIDS pandemic

"MONTREAL/GENEVA, 30 July 2022—Global AIDS leaders have joined forces in issuing a strong warning that derailing of progress to end AIDS is putting millions of people in danger. They came together to launch UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2022, ahead of the opening of the 24th International AIDS Conference currently taking place in Montreal, 29 July to 2 August. “The data we are sharing brings painful but vital news,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “The latest findings reveal that the response to the AIDS pandemic has been derailed by global crises, from the colliding pandemics of HIV and COVID, to the war in Ukraine and the resulting global economic crisis. Progress has been stalled, inequalities have widened, resources have shrunk, and millions of lives are now at risk.”

Inside the scientific breakthroughs and controversies of AIDS 2022

"The history of the HIV response is woven into the International AIDS Conferences. Ground-breaking science and political activism at the conferences have uniquely shaped the trajectory of the response. Conferences in Canada have played key roles. (...) Today, AIDS 2022 returns to Montreal and also takes place virtually. But other crises like monkeypox, surging COVID-19 cases and climate change, remind us why now more than ever, we need to re-engage and follow the science. In this episode of HIV unmuted, the award-winning IAS podcast, we take a deep dive into the breaking science being released at AIDS 2022, address important access concerns at the International AIDS Conferences and understand how to translate cutting-edge science into meaningful action."

Reflections on AIDS 2022 and global health diplomacy

"If you followed the recently concluded AIDS 2022 Conference in Montreal, you will have heard several complaints about how, once again, visa issues forced many registered participants to miss out on a forum where decisions were to be made about a condition that disproportionately affects them in the first place, and their countries. This is not a new problem. We have known for a long time that the current educational model of knowledge production and dissemination in global health not only stifles equity, but also actively entrenches the imbalances created by supremacist and colonial origins."

AIDS 2022

"La plus grande conférence mondiale sur le VIH/sida se tiendra à Montréal du 29 juillet au 2 août 2022 et associera prévention, science et communauté. Sur le blog, nous rendons compte en direct des principaux résultats et enseignements pour le travail en Suisse."

World AIDS Day 2022 — Message from Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS

"World AIDS Day is a moment to honour over 40 million lives lost to AIDS, take stock of the AIDS response, and commit to ending AIDS. This week we launched a powerful new report, Dangerous Inequalities. In it, we called the world’s attention to a painful reality: currently, we are not on track to end AIDS by 2030, and the reason is inequality. But there is good news: by equalizing, we can end AIDS."

A Triple Dividend: Fully financing the HIV response in Africa

"Research and analysis by Economist Impact, conducted across 13 African countries, demonstrates that fully financing the HIV response will saves millions of lives and would produce substantial health, social and economic gains. (...) “This report comes at a critical time with evidence that should act as a catalyst for political decisions to ensure full HIV funding, that will have substantial social and economic outcomes,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “It will put African countries on a path towards building more resilient healthcare systems and be better prepared for future pandemics.”

HIV is sexually untransmittable when viral load is undetectable

"In 2008, the Swiss National AIDS Commission (Commission fédérale pour les problèmes liés au sida) controversially made the claim that people infected with HIV who are adhering to an effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) do not transmit HIV. Subsequently, a modelling study in 2009 gave rise to the concept of treatment as prevention and then the UNAIDS 90-90-90 campaign that suggested that if countries could attain 90% HIV testing in their population, ensure that 90% of those individuals were on ART, and 90% of those were fully suppressed, then sexual HIV transmission would drop to low levels. But it was only after the results of the HPTN 052 study in 2016 that the secondary HIV prevention benefits of ART were fully seen."

A qualitative study to identify thematic areas for HIV related patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) and patient-reported experience measures (PREM)

"People living with HIV have various symptoms and concerns despite advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Their well-being is linked to a number of interconnected dimensions including physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and socioeconomic factors. Although global HIV initiatives are still heavily focused on diagnosis, treatment, adherence, and viral suppression, new patient-centered care initiatives are increasing worldwide that look beyond these issues to promote well-being and a more personalized outcome approach. In practice, patient-centered care means that patients can access the care they need and that health providers deliver high-quality care that is responsive to the needs of patients."

ICASA 2023: “AIDS IS NOT OVER: Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation”

"While progress has been made, AIDS remains a significant challenge. Last year, globally, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses, 1.3 million were newly infected with HIV, and 9.2 million lacked access to life-saving HIV treatment. In Zimbabwe in 2022 alone, there were 20,000 AIDS-related deaths and 17,000 new HIV infections. Against that backdrop, under the motto “AIDS IS NOT OVER: Address inequalities, accelerate inclusion and innovation”, the 22nd ICASA conference was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 4-9 December 2023."

HIV Age of Access Policy Landscape

"Sub-Saharan Africa remains disproportionately impacted, with HIV/AIDS being the leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, over a quarter of new HIV infections occur among young people and adolescents. In the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, UNAIDS calls for countries to address “structural and age- related legal barriers faced by adolescents” and “ensure adolescent and young key populations are reached with effective services early on.” Laws and policies setting the age of access to HIV services must not limit adolescent autonomy and the ability to independently access the services, tools, and resources to protect themselves and their health."

Uncertainty in key population size estimates in sub-Saharan Africa

"Key populations contribute substantially to the disproportionate burden of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for about 25% of the total new HIV infections in 2022. Despite their increased risk of HIV, social and structural barriers have continued to limit them from seeking and receiving appropriate HIV prevention, treatment, and care services. Consequently, key populations are lagging in the remarkable progress towards attaining control of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The urgent need to address the gaps in service coverage among key populations, particularly in repressive and low-income settings, requires insight into their population size for data-driven planning and equitable resource allocation."

La crise de la dette s'aggrave et compromet la lutte contre le VIH

La situation en Afrique subsaharienne devient de plus en plus menaçante en raison de la persistance de l'endettement. Les crises actuelles de la dette dans les pays de la région entraînent un sous-financement chronique des services essentiels de santé et de lutte contre le VIH. Un déséquilibre financier qui met également en péril les progrès dans la lutte contre le VIH/sida. Malgré le succès obtenu dans la réduction des nouvelles infections par le VIH depuis 2010, ces progrès risquent d'être réduits à néant si la marge de manœuvre financière est encore restreinte. Certains pays d'Afrique de l'Est doivent déjà consacrer plus de 50% de leurs recettes publiques au remboursement de leur dette, conformément aux accords passés avec le Fonds monétaire international. Pour pouvoir lutter efficacement contre leurs pandémies de VIH, il leur manque 12 milliards de dollars US rien que pour 2024. Si cette tendance se poursuit, une spirale descendante menace non seulement la lutte contre le VIH, mais aussi les soins de santé en général. La directrice de l'ONUSIDA, Winnie Byanyima, demande aux partenaires internationaux de mobiliser des ressources afin de ne pas compromettre davantage les progrès mondiaux visant à mettre fin au sida d'ici 2030.

Why are People Still Dying Needlessly of AIDS? Politics – not Science – is to Blame

"This was the question posed to us recently by a young person from our Youth4Health network. Our answer, both simple and sad: the reasons are not medical. As we observe World AIDS Day on Sunday, 1 December, the biggest remaining hurdles in the fight against HIV/AIDS in our region, and indeed much of our world, are political. Restrictive and intolerant environments. Stigma, discrimination and even criminalization of HIV transmission. Inconsistent uptake of evidence-based and recommended interventions. Today we have all the medicines, tools and technologies to end AIDS."

UNAIDS report shows that upholding human rights is vital for ending the AIDS pandemic

"Ahead of World AIDS Day (1 December), a new report by UNAIDS shows that the world can meet the agreed goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 – but only if leaders protect the human rights of everyone living with and at risk of HIV. The report’s message is summed up in its title: “Take the rights path to end AIDS”. “Despite huge progress made in the HIV response, human rights violations are still preventing the world from ending AIDS,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “When girls are denied education; when there is impunity for gender-based violence; when people can be arrested for who they are, or who they love; when a visit to health services is dangerous for people because of the community they are from—the result is that people are blocked from being able to access HIV services that are essential to save their lives and to end the AIDS pandemic. To protect everyone’s health, we need to protect everyone’s rights.”

Suivre la science

« Juillet 2022 : la greffe de cellules souches guérit un quatrième patient infecté par le VIH. » Cette information venue de Californie a été diffusée à point nommé pour l’ouverture de la 24e Conférence internationale sur le sida, qui s’est tenue à Montréal du 29 juillet au 2 août 2022. Pourtant, cette guérison isolée vaut-elle vraiment la peine d’être signalée, compte tenu des millions de personnes infectées qui ne reçoivent toujours aucun traitement ? La pandémie du sida pourrait être surmontée depuis longtemps si toute personne infectée, dès le moment de son infection, pouvait avoir accès aux médicaments antirétroviraux (ART) déjà disponibles depuis les années 1990.

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