1. What supply chain challenges inhibit universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care? The treatment of people with HIV presents unique challenges. Even once people are on treatment, they must be monitored to be sure the drugs are effective in decreasing the person’s viral load. WHO guidelines supported under the President’s Emergency Plan for…
A growing body of evidence shows that empowering adolescent girls to become future leaders in their communities is key to achieving global development goals, ensuring the sustainability of development interventions, and making a significant social impact. It is only by supporting, educating, and empowering adolescent girls that we can unlock their full potential to transform the…
Each biennial International AIDS Conference is eventually remembered for the broad themes coming out of a long, exciting, and energizing week of presentations, networking, and protests. A key theme of this year’s conference in Durban, South Africa, was patient empowerment. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) was a rallying cry to help the most vulnerable populations such as…
Last week I sat in a workshop about expanding access to treatment for all people living with HIV, regardless of their clinical stage or CD4 count, and remembered my early years working on HIV programs in sub-Saharan Africa. As I reflected on how far we’ve come, I thought about some of the biggest lessons I…
In July, thousands of scientists, advocates, policymakers, and international development professionals are gathering in Durban, South Africa, to reflect on the progress made so far in the fight against HIV/AIDS and to discuss the most strategic and inclusive initiatives for the future. The International AIDS Conference, which runs from July 18-22, is the second to take…
We need to face facts: In many developing countries, there simply isn’t any money to hire more health care workers. According to WHO there is a global shortage of more than 7 million health care workers; 83 countries fall below WHO’s basic recommendation on of 23 health care providers per 10,000 population. By 2035, that…
To ensure that HIV/AIDS patients have consistent access to the drugs they need, the USAID-supported Kenya Pharma project created a secure and reliable supply chain that prevents stockouts, while expanding the number of service delivery points (SDPs) where patients can receive antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. To expand access, Kenya Pharma expanded care through satellite facilities in…
Can social and behavior change communications (SBCC) actually influence people’s behavior in the real world? The results of USAID’s “Safe Love” HIV Prevention Campaign in Zambia suggest that they can, even when it comes to taboo subjects like sex. The campaign’s outcome evaluation also underscores the power of good storytelling that resonates with real people…
Between 2010 and 2014, the USAID-funded and Chemonics-implemented Zambia Communications Support for Health (CSH) program carried out a series of social and behavior change communications interventions under its Safe Love HIV Prevention campaign to address the key drivers of HIV prevalence. Safe Love was a national multi-channel campaign for men and women age 15-49 that…
USAID’s Strengthening Educational Performance-Up (STEP-Up) Zambia Project provided technical assistance to produce meaningful, measurable improvement in learner performance and literacy at the primary school level. At the heart of STEP-Up Zambia’s approach is the importance of one-on-one relationships at each level of the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training, and Early Education (MESVTEE) leadership structure,…
Movers and shakers from across the globe spoke at this year’s International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia. The likes of Bill Clinton, Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibe, and Sir Bob Geldof (the English musician of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” fame) were among those ticketed as high-level speakers, and their words received the lion’s…
Washington D.C., hosted the XIX International AIDS Conference, the leading global gathering for professionals working in the field of HIV/AIDS, including scientists, policy makers, program implementers, and people living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 30,000 participants attended the conference to share information about the latest advances in HIV prevention, education, and care. Among those selected to…