Update
Ministers of health call for revitalizing HIV prevention in eastern and southern Africa
26 May 2016
26 May 2016 26 May 2016At a high-level ministerial meeting convened by the Minister of Health of Zimbabwe, David Parirenyatwa, in partnership with UNAIDS, more than 11 ministers of health from eastern and southern Africa called for both policy and programmatic action in order to revitalize HIV prevention, with a continued focus on the scale-up of HIV treatment. The meeting took place at UNAIDS headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on 25 May, on the sidelines of the 69th session of the World Health Assembly.
The ministers called for renewed commitment and accountability on HIV prevention by countries in eastern and southern Africa. They noted that increased investment in HIV prevention, in particular for primary prevention at the local level, is required. The ministers committed to further scaling up effective combination prevention packages and launching a regional leadership platform with both health and non-health sector leaders to drive the agenda on revitalizing HIV prevention in the region.
Countries in eastern and southern Africa have made progress in reducing new HIV infections among adults, from 1.3 million new HIV infections in 2000 to 840 000 in 2014. However, there were 100 000 more new HIV infections in 2014 among females 15 years and older than among their male counterparts.
The participants also included representatives of the Southern African Development Community, the East African Community, United Nations agencies and development partners.
Quotes
“In order to reduce new HIV infections, there is a need to change the magnitude of investment for HIV prevention—we must invest at least a quarter on prevention.”
“We must close the tap of new HIV infections. We know HIV prevention is cheaper and proven to work. If we do it holistically, it will work. To do that, we really need to refocus and revitalize HIV prevention.”
"This call for action on revitalizing HIV prevention is timely. We cannot address HIV in isolation, and we need to work together as a region.”
"The Sustainable Development Goals give us a platform to deliver services based on rights, inclusiveness, universality and ensuring that no one is left behind. So let's do what we have to do on HIV prevention in countries."
