HIV Update: Learning Lessons

By Kevin Osborne (IPPF)

Keeping abreast of all the latest developments and ensuring that our organizational response to HIV remains proactive requires that we must carefully and consistently apply the lessons that have been learned. But how do we apply these important lessons across the Federation?

While the HIV epidemic continues to be one of the most challenging health and development issues confronting the world today, it has acted as a catalyst for wider social transformation. From spotlighting the importance of gender equality and the necessity of the human rights aspects of health, to galvanizing the united power of activism – it has been transformative. And the latest data from UNAIDS shows some reason for cautious optimism, with evidence that new HIV infections have fallen to the lowest levels since the peak of the epidemic in 1997.

With new scientific advances, greater recognition of key populations at higher risk, and a tangible commitment to the SRH and HIV linkages agenda, we need to constantly renew our learning and adapt our response. This should be based on honest and critical reflection; systematic strengthening of our organizational capacity to respond to new trends and ensuring that strategic lessons are applied and shared.

As information is updated and new trends slowly emerge, we need to review and utilize this information to better inform our response. And we have a clear role to play in this, as demonstrated by the recent global IPPF survey to determine the involvement of Member Associations (MAs) in national processes of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which was conducted in an effort to increase the number of proposals linking sexual and reproductive health and HIV (see page 3). With the news that the Global Fund has both cancelled Round 11 and has adopted a new strategy, this survey could help shape our ongoing engagement.

The end of a calendar year provides an opportunity for reflection on our own response. Recent IPPF data suggests a ten-fold increase globally in the HIV-related services provided by IPPF Member Associations between 2005 and 2010. Even with this impressive increase in service provision, it is important to assess these achievements critically. While the responsibility for this success is not equally shared across all MAs and regions; the framework for increased global action on linking SRH and HIV has been established. One of the key lessons for the Federation is, that by strengthening our collective HIV competency capacity, we have a reservoir of untapped potential to significantly increase our range of HIV-related services along the prevention-to-care continuum, and ones which go beyond just health services.

IPPF’s strategy of concentrated HIV capacity building for a select number of Member Associations, has demonstrated success that must now be shared. Working together on this can only lead to increased cumulative action and answers.

Love
Kevin

Download the December issue of the IPPF HIV Update newsletter: http://www.ippf.org/en/Resources/Newsletters/HIV+Update+Issue+28.htm