Munich, Germany — African networks representing people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) convened in Munich, Germany, to demand increased funding for HIV programs as the global fight against the pandemic continues.
The networks include the Malawi Network of People Living with HIV, the National Council of People Living with HIV in Tanzania, the Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV, the Coalition of Women Living with HIV in Malawi, the Zambia Network of People Living with HIV, Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaigns Zambia, the Network of Generals Living with HIV in Malawi, the National Association of Young People Living with HIV in Malawi, Tonata, the Pure HIV Network in Namibia, the Ramla Network of People Living with HIV, the Liberia Network of People Living with HIV, and the Tanzanian Network of Women Living with HIV and AIDS.
At the International AIDS Conference, these representatives called for greater resource commitments to sustain the progress made in combating HIV.
"We, as an African network of people living with HIV, seek resources and commitment in the fight to end HIV. We are grateful for the efforts made by our governments to advance gains in the HIV response. It is encouraging to see our governments playing a crucial role in combating the pandemic," said Joan Chamungu from the Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV, as well as a representative of the African networks of PLWHA.
She acknowledged the support of African governments while recognizing their resource constraints. "We commend their efforts to increase domestic funding, contribute to global initiatives like the Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria, and develop inclusive, sustainable roadmaps for tackling HIV in our countries," she added.
Chamungu commended all African governments for ensuring that key populations are included in national HIV strategies by widening access to HIV services and decriminalizing key populations. She also expressed gratitude to the German and European communities for their solidarity in the fight to end AIDS. "As the community of African people living with HIV, we appreciate the support received from Germany, the European Union, and the global community in strengthening intergenerational life-saving systems for people living with HIV in our countries," she said.
"Through this support, transmission of HIV from mothers to children is on the verge of being eliminated. Moreover, this support has allowed children born with HIV to grow to adulthood and have their children. In the past, HIV was a death sentence; now, people can enjoy their full lives, thanks to remarkable global solidarity," Chamungu added.
At the conference, the German Chancellor reiterated Germany's commitment to the global fight against the AIDS pandemic, a stance commended by the African community. "Resources provided to the Global Fund, the World Health Organization, and other multilateral health institutions have led to substantial gains in the fight against HIV," the African PLHIV networks said, thanking the European and international communities for their support.
The community also acknowledged the impact of the U.S. government's President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative saying that their powerful program has played a transformative role in the global HIV epidemic landscape.
Can PEPFAR survive another five years?
Since 2003 when PEPFAR was established, the U.S. government has invested over $100 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, which has saved more than twenty-five million lives, averted millions of new HIV infections, and supported multiple countries to battle the epidemic while also strengthening global health and economic security at the same time.
The African people living with HIV networks have become increasingly worried by falling international funding for HIV response and stress that "more resources need to be allocated to deal with all the gaps in this fight," emphasizing that now is a critical time for additional support. Currently, PEPFAR's five-year reauthorization is at risk, putting the future of the program in doubt. Despite acknowledging the successful one-year re-authorization process in March 2024, they remarked, "This stability has been crucial for the efficiency and continuity of national HIV programs."
The networks noted that the threat to this cycle can disrupt national program planning as well as undermine congressional support. The networks also pointed out the troubling trend of some governments criminalizing communities most affected by HIV, complicating efforts to combat the epidemic.
"There is evidence that in these governments, impacted populations face threats of violations, including being jailed," she said. "Criminalization and other rights abuses not only compromise the quality of HIV services but also exacerbate stigma, lead to missed appointments, treatment disruptions, and jeopardize the progress made in the HIV response. "We look forward to discussing the significant results of PEPFAR and the international community's support in the ongoing fight against AIDS."
David Kamkwamba of the Network of Journalists Living with HIV (JONEHA) Malawi, expressed profound appreciation for the significant outcomes achieved through PEPFAR and international support in the fight against AIDS. He said, "International community support has strengthened procurement power within our African countries, which has scaled up treatment and prevention on a great magnitude."
He highlighted the impact of this support on reducing major gaps in human resources and strengthening community health systems. He also noted that it has been instrumental in addressing rights violations and structural barriers faced by the most affected populations when accessing health services through programs like Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe Dreams, along with community-led monitoring (CLM).
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"These are our humble ask," he said. "The international community provides resources to match the need identified in the global investment cases to end the HIV pandemic. This is an acknowledgment that withholding this support would leave major and fundamental gaps in the struggle to end this epidemic."
"To address the gaps in HIV prevention, we implore Germany, the European community, and the international community to allocate additional resources. We call on both parties in the U.S. Congress to support a clean five-year reauthorization of PEPFAR, which is essential for achieving the ambitious goal of reducing the burden of HIV by 2030. A failure to secure this reauthorization would signify a retreat in American leadership, with significant repercussions not only for Africa but for the global community as well," he said.
"We strongly urge our governments to further increase domestic funding for strengthening the local sustainability of the response and to address the 10-10-10 gaps," ensuring the elimination of structural barriers and rights violations faced by those most impacted by HIV, said Kamkwamba.
