Written by Sarah Konopka, Technical Director and HIV/AIDS Advisor for the ASH Project.
Photo: HIV Counselors in training, Nigeria. Gwenn Dubourthoumieu for MSH.
This week, thousands of experts, advocates, policy makers, and researchers are gathering in Durban, South Africa for the 21st International AIDS Conference. The conference creates an essential space for the community to come together, reflect on our efforts, celebrate victories, learn from our mistakes, and commit – with renewed energy – to an evidence-based HIV and AIDS response that upholds the rights and dignity of all people living with HIV.
While significant progress has been made in recent decades to advance access to treatment and prevent new infections, the burden of HIV and AIDS continues to weigh heavily on many countries in the African region. Groups most at risk continue to be disproportionately affected, and across the continent women and girls, men who have sex with men, transgender persons, sex workers, young people, and people who use drugs, are increasingly being left without access to prevention and treatment services. We must use this moment to establish a clear path toward guaranteeing that no one is left behind in the AIDS response and tailor HIV and AIDS research, policies, prevention, care, and treatment services to respond to their needs.
While significant progress has been made in recent decades to advance access to treatment and prevent new infections, the burden of HIV and AIDS continues to weigh heavily on many countries in the African region. Groups most at risk continue to be disproportionately affected, and across the continent women and girls, men who have sex with men, transgender persons, sex workers, young people, and people who use drugs, are increasingly being left without access to prevention and treatment services. We must use this moment to establish a clear path toward guaranteeing that no one is left behind in the AIDS response and tailor HIV and AIDS research, policies, prevention, care, and treatment services to respond to their needs.
"To maximize the benefits of collaboration and harness the cumulative impact of a joint and coordinated regional response, we must first understand each other. "
African regional actors, including regional economic communities, networks and associations, and technical organizations, are natural, strategic allies in this effort. Their leadership and position in the region, where the effects of decisions are felt, makes them powerful partners in the HIV response. They can make substantial contributions to the development and harmonization of policies and guide the delivery of HIV and AIDS services in Africa. By elevating issues facing people living with HIV, regional networks and associations are powerful advocates and champions for improved policies and interventions. Regional level discussions among heads of state at high-level summits convened by regional economic communities emerge as signed commitments and declarations that influence national planning and implementation for HIV and AIDS services. Regional technical organizations, pooling local technical expertise, can assist in the operationalization of these commitments through evidence-based, technically sound approaches, while regional networks and associations can, in turn, monitor implementation and drive increased accountability for the HIV commitments they make.
To maximize the benefits of collaboration and harness the cumulative impact of a joint and coordinated regional response, we must first understand each other. Effective partnerships and coordination will ensure that African countries are better positioned to achieve an AIDS-Free Generation and end preventable child and maternal deaths. Be a part of the solution: take time to meet your neighbors, understand the landscape, consider how regional actors can enhance your work, and build strategic alliances. We must not lose momentum – the time to act is now.
Learn more about how regional actors are working to address HIV and AIDS in Africa through the following resources, developed by USAID’s African Strategies for Health (ASH) project, implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH):
Read about our successful partnerships with regional institutions to strengthen HIV services for key populations in Southern Africa
Are you in Durban? Stop by booth 328 to pick up ASH resources and meet MSH staff.
Not in Durban? Follow live #healthsystem coverage of AIDS 2016 on MSH’s blog or on Twitter @MSHHealthImpact with hashtags #AIDS2016 #healthsystem #AIDSFreeGen and #EndAIDS2030.
To maximize the benefits of collaboration and harness the cumulative impact of a joint and coordinated regional response, we must first understand each other. Effective partnerships and coordination will ensure that African countries are better positioned to achieve an AIDS-Free Generation and end preventable child and maternal deaths. Be a part of the solution: take time to meet your neighbors, understand the landscape, consider how regional actors can enhance your work, and build strategic alliances. We must not lose momentum – the time to act is now.
Learn more about how regional actors are working to address HIV and AIDS in Africa through the following resources, developed by USAID’s African Strategies for Health (ASH) project, implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH):
Read about our successful partnerships with regional institutions to strengthen HIV services for key populations in Southern Africa
- Browse the online database of regional organizations
- See more resources on HIV and AIDS featured in the ASH Synthesis Series
Are you in Durban? Stop by booth 328 to pick up ASH resources and meet MSH staff.
Not in Durban? Follow live #healthsystem coverage of AIDS 2016 on MSH’s blog or on Twitter @MSHHealthImpact with hashtags #AIDS2016 #healthsystem #AIDSFreeGen and #EndAIDS2030.
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