The PLHIV community held its 4th convening on 13 March 2024, hosted by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) where we learned through country updates from Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Zimbabwe, the realities of global PLHIV networks who are facing multiple crises compounded by the western world freeze on aid funding. Colleagues in the DRC are wrecked by conflict and an outbreak of the M-Pox epidemic, while Malawi is currently facing cyclones events, that have disrupted movement, and supply chains and consumed the minimal resources that are needed to supplement access to HIV services.
Following the shift in global priorities with the United States of America, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands all announcing aid cuts to realign to domestic priorities, African country governments have demonstrated interest in providing supplementary funding to take ownership and institutionalize their HIV response programs including funding for HIV treatment. Many governments and donor organizations have set up emergency funds to mitigate the impact of disruption. Country governments including Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa are shining examples and PLHIV leaders remain grateful for the opportunity to work together to prioritize and plan for the future together. This inspiring collaboration remains a critical component for securing responsive HIV services for all PLHIV and those impacted by HIV.
The response has however not been equal, as some countries struggle with multiple crises including addressing emerging epidemics, conflict, and natural disasters exacerbating challenges for adjustment amid fiscal constraints and diversion of resources to what is seen as more pressing priorities.
This has resulted in some cases of drug and test kit shortages, which is fueling panic among people living with HIV, hoarding, and even withdrawal from treatment. Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MANASO) shared experiences of apprehension that led to hoarding where patients registered in multiple health clinics to collect extra doses, and some were selling drugs in an emerging black market.
“When the news of the stop order came there was panic and fear, and as a coordinator, I received a lot of complaints, rumors started going around that there would be no medicine, that clinics had been closed, we heard some people had begun selling drugs to each other while others would go out to three or four facilities to test so that they can get more drugs,” said Emily Kayimba Executive Director MANASO said.
Despite these challenges, the PLHIV network leadership noted increasing resilience as communities adapt to the new normal and foster closer collaboration with governments to take charge and steer national strategies to end HIV.
MANASO for instance partnered with the Ministry of Health in Malawi to give a public statement offering clarity on drug availability to stem the panic and have since been in close consultation with the government in drafting contingency plans. They continue to host national-level treatment awareness meetings. MANASO is also working with their governments to further adapt the national HIV response sustainability Roadmap, an experience that many other PLHIV networks shared they were engaged in. We remain grateful for this opportunity to maintain the GIPA principle.
In Rwanda, the government has included services for PLHIV in refugee camps to access services through the national health insurance scheme to minimize the impact of the disease on the community. The country that also faces withdrawal of aid over the DRC conflict is also changing its civil society by scaling up skills-based advocacy that can earn money and become sustainable for communities.
Mombunza Azuba Coordonnateur National Congo Network of Religious Leaders living or personally affected by HIV and AIDS (CONERELA+) said in DRC the stop order hit PLHIV with funding cuts that have halted services and immense work of fighting stigma. The war has complicated their situation and he says there is no position from the Ministry of Health on a way forward compounding their anxiety.
“Despite this, we set out a survey to determine stocks around PEPFAR facilities in DRC and have tried to work with the government to provide more information than just oral assurance. We see an opportunity to work with government to consolidate previous efforts to set up a national AIDS Fund supported by taxpayers and are increasing advocacy to achieve this vision,” Mr Azuba said.
Tatenda Makoni Executive Director of Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) says his organization also took up the challenge to collect the data in real-time and to triangulate information that was coming from the government and other sources. ZNNP+ quickly came up with a Situation Report methodology with a tool that it has been administering across the country.
“We have been doing trend analysis tracking service availability viral load, early infant detection, and other services like testing. Using the support from GNP+ through our last mile grant resources, we have focused our efforts on facilitating our community cadres to take up additional roles in what we call task shifting that has allowed us to do more including expanding our coverage area,” Mr Makoni said.
The network leaders noted that PLHIV communities need to come to terms with this new normal and rise above the gloomy narrative that is being used to paint the picture of the situation. Despite the difficulties, the PLHIV networks are determined to define the HIV response for the future by providing stronger leadership and driving local for global PLHIV leadership and advocacy.
New networks joined the convening from Pakistan and the EECA- Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS – the group of women activists from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Georgia, and Tajikistan who raised concerns about the growing victimization of civil society work including support to PLHIV. We look forward to learning more from our peers in Asia and EECA at our next convening.
The networks commit to leveraging the PLHIV convening to come up with a united front as the world transitions beyond the Global goal to end HIV by 2030. With a strong Local for global PLHIV-led advocacy, we plan to influence the upcoming HIV Global AIDS Strategy development led by UNAIDS, help steer national transition plans through representation in the HIV Response Sustainability Roadmaps, and prepare for the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS UNAIDS in 2026.
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Remember to register to join the convening and remind them all that our next meeting will be on 27th March, at 12 pm CET, We ask PLHIV leaders to please register on the Google form here. For more questions, get in touch with us through communities@gnpplus.net.
GNP+ is the global network of people living with HIV led by and for people living with HIV. We strengthen impactful PLHIV-led local for global advocacy and community leadership facilitated by our strong movement building through grant-making with country and regional networks of people living with and most impacted by HIV.
MEDIA CONTACT:
FLORENCE RIAKO ANAM | Co-Executive Director
friakoanam@gnpplus.net | +25 472 147 7384 Kenya
