Kuala Lumpur, 30 June
2013
Joint Statement by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), the International
HIV/AIDS Alliance (
the Alliance
) and S
TOP
AIDS N
OW
! (SAN!)
Communities vital to delivering on the promise of new global HIV treatment guidelines
More people living with HIV qualify to start treatment and the scale up of high quality HIV services is crucial to offer safer and more effective treatment
New guidelines strongly recommend a range of c ommunity - based services that are critical to guarantee the best possible outcomes for people living with HIV and their communities
A human rights - based approach is key to the successful roll - out of the new guidelines
Strategic investments and supportive political environments are essential for communities to engage in shaping and implementing the new guidelines
The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+), the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance), and STOP AIDS NOW!,
today welcomed the World Health Organisation's (WHO's) new guidelines on the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the
treatment and prevention of HIV and called on governments, multilateral and bilateral agencies, and donors to ensure
that communities are meaningfully engaged as countries implement these guidelines.
The WHO guidelines were launched at the 7th International AIDS Society conference on HIV Pathogenesis Treatment and Prevention
taking place in Kuala Lumpur this week.
The new guidelines recommend that people living with HIV can start ART with a CD4 count of 500 cells/mm 3 or less compared with
a CD4 count of 350 cells/mm 3 or less previously (2010 WHO ART Guidelines). Starting treatment earlier has shown to slow
clinical progression, reduce the chance of life - threatening conditions such as tuberculosis (TB), and has the added
benefit of reducing the risk of HIV transmission. The guidelines also recommend offering treatment regardless of CD4
count (i.e. immediate treatment after HIV diagnosis) to pregnant women, people living with TB or Hepatitis B,
children under five years old, and people in relationships where one partner is living with HIV and the
other is not. To download the full recommendations go to the WHO web site.
We support the emphasis on offering quality treatment sooner to people living with HIV that meets their differing personal health
needs, and delivering treatment in a sustainable manner that increase s choic e and improves health.
The ownership, involvement and action of people living with HIV and their communities has significantly contributed to the increase
in access to ART over the past decade . To ensure continued improvements in health for all, the WHO and health ministries must
partner with communities to create an enabling political and legal environment for communities to ensure that individual
human rights are protected, for instance by integrating and monitoring human rights aspects of the new guidelines
to protect the health and rights of people living with HIV and other key populations.
The guidelines recognise the constraints of health systems to deliver the optimal standard of care in resource poor settings
and gaps remain in treatment coverage. That is why governments and donors must ensure strategic invest ments that support
and scale - up effective community - based interventions - such as peer outreach workers, community - based testing,
treatment li teracy projects, community advocacy - that improve people's ability to know their HIV status, and
to access quality treatment and care that they need to stay healthy.
Last year, GNP+ and the Allianc, in collaboration with WHO, conducted a community consultation to inform the revised guidelines
and help countries to make the best strategic decisions on the use of antiretrovirals. Throughout the consultation, community
respondents emphasised the critical need for meaningful community engagement at all levels once countries begin adapting
and implementing the 2013 guidelines.
To support communities to position themselves in discussions on the use of treatment for both health and prevention, GNP+, the Alliance,
and SAN! are collaborating with partners to develop a "Community Guide" for use by networks, community - based organisations,
and other civil society supporting community action on HIV. The Guide will be launched later on this year at ICAAP and ICASA.
Kevin Moody, Global Network of People Living With HIV
Anja Teltschik, International HIV/AIDS Alliance
Yvette Fleming, Stop AIDS NOW!
###
Source: The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+)
The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) is the global network for and by people living with HIV.
GNP+ advocates to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV. Driven by the needs of people living with HIV worldwide, GNP+
supports people living with HIV through their organisations and networks. GNP+ works to ensure equitable access to health and social
services, by focusing on social justice, rights and more meaningful involvement of people living with HIV in programme and policy
development - the GIPA principle. www.gnpplus.net
"Reproduced with permission - Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+)"
Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+)
For more HIV and AIDS News visit...
Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News
|
