GENEVA, 3 August 2020—Tlaleng Mofokeng, a South African medical doctor and a women's rights and sexual and reproductive health rights activist, has been appointed as the new United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

"I congratulate Tlaleng Mofokeng on her appointment as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health—the first African women to be appointed to this important role," said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "I know that she will fight for human rights and for everyone, everywhere to be able to get the health care they need. We both share a vision: that health care should not be just for the rich, but a right for all."

Appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health monitors the right to health around the world. The post-holder studies national practices and experiences related to the right to health, identifies trends and challenges in the process and makes recommendations on how to ensure the protection of the right to health. The Special Rapporteur also receives individual complaints of alleged violations of the right to health.

The right to health is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law and countries have basic human rights obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health.

"I look forward to working with Dr Mofokeng," Ms Byanyima added. "Only by ensuring that the right to health is a reality for all will AIDS be ended by 2030."

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

As the world faces the colliding pandemics of COVID-19, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, UNAIDS supports the call for bold, bipartisan support by the United States of America for global efforts against these concurrent health challenges

GENEVA, 31 July 2020—The United States of America has long led the world in its response to infectious pandemics. As the largest bilateral donor to the global response to HIV, investing more than US$ 85 billion in the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) since 2003, the United States, working with multilateral organizations, the United Nations, civil society and affected countries, has played a pivotal role in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. The United States has contributed generously to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), investing US$ 16.7 billion since 2002.

Collectively, these investments have saved millions of lives, particularly on the African continent. Yet, as UNAIDS’ latest global report shows, much work remains. Of the 38 million people living with HIV, 12.6 million are not accessing life-saving treatment. Prior to COVID-19, we were off track on our goal of fewer than 500 000 new HIV infections by 2020; in 2019, 1.7 million people became newly infected with HIV. COVID-19’s early impact on the African continent portends a major health disaster that, if unmitigated, will have both direct and long-term residual effects.

At a time when many governments and economies, particularly in Africa, are reeling from COVID-19 and struggling to maintain health and social services, continued leadership by the United States in global health is essential—it could be the difference between a health challenge and a health catastrophe.

With the world now facing colliding pandemics, turning away from any one of them to focus solely on any of the others risks a surge in new infections and deaths. The exponential harm of several concurrent pandemics will bring unprecedented suffering and economic fallout. The coronavirus’ effect on AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria programming will be devastating if not buffered. In June, the Global Fund reported that 85% of the programmes it supports in 106 countries struggled with disruption to service delivery, including 18% with high or very high disruptions. UNAIDS estimates that a six-month complete disruption in treatment could cause more than 500 000 additional deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over the coming year, bringing the region back to 2008 AIDS mortality levels. Even a 20% disruption could cause an additional 110 000 deaths. Such an outcome would represent unacceptable and preventable collateral damage from the COVID-19 pandemic, wiping out nearly two decades of progress.

The United States Global Leadership Coalition is calling on Congress to allocate US$ 20 billion in the next Emergency Supplemental Funding Bill for COVID-19. The global health community supports this request and calls for including an explicit allocation of US$ 700 million for one year, or US$ 1.4 billion over two years, for bilateral global HIV and tuberculosis programmes under PEPFAR and US$ 4 billion over two years for the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism. These funds will offset the impact of COVID-19 on PEPFAR and Global Fund programmes while supporting PEPFAR’s and the Global Fund’s work to combat COVID-19, including through increasing testing and care. The Global Fund’s currently available resources for COVID-19 will be fully depleted in weeks. The need is urgent.

The spread of COVID-19 is accelerating across Africa; its impact is increasingly concerning. The surge in patients is overpowering caregivers and hospitals. Recent reports suggest that more than 10 000 health-care workers have been infected. While accurately reporting cases of COVID-19 is challenging given limited testing, South Africa has more than 452 000 confirmed cases, making it the country with the fifth highest number of cases in the world. This has put enormous additional pressure on inpatient and outpatient capacities already burdened to the breaking point with HIV, tuberculosis, noncommunicable diseases, maternal and child health issues and trauma. The health systems, hospitals and health-care professionals are struggling to cope. The estimated 17 000 excess deaths from natural causes from 6 May to 14 July 2020 indicate the impact of the compounded burden. Provinces and districts previously facing pre-existing health system issues are the hardest hit; they lack functional bed capacity and adequate oxygen supply.

South Africa is not alone. In the week leading to 20 July 2020, new COVID-19 cases in Kenya increased by 31%, and by 50%, 57% and 69%, respectively, in Madagascar, Zambia and Namibia. Many low-income countries with a high HIV burden are making sacrifices in the fight against COVID-19, but they are losing the battle. Many of their economies are undermined by COVID-19. Government receipts have shrunk and many of them also face considerable debt service burdens. In four out of five of the countries with the highest HIV prevalence (Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa), the ratio of debt to gross domestic product is greater than 40%, with South Africa predicted to reach a record high of 80% in 2020 due to declining consumption and investments during the COVID-19 crisis.

 The global health community’s requests for additional funding reflect needs in three areas:

• Scaling up health-care workforces to offset task-sharing/task-shifting due to COVID-19.
• Ensuring a supply of personal protective equipment and training on the safe use of, and proper disposal of, personal protective equipment for health-care workers.
• Protecting continuity of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other priority services (including laboratories and diagnostic efforts) and responding to cost escalations due to COVID-19. 

COVID-19 presents not only challenges but also opportunities for even greater progress against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, three of the world’s most pernicious killers. For example, as COVID-19 keeps people living with HIV from safely accessing HIV clinics, reports from 87 countries in which UNAIDS operates indicate that 44 of them have implemented policies to enable multimonth dispensing of antiretroviral medicines, a necessary innovation that ensures continuity of care, essential for viral load suppression, and cost savings, for HIV. Similarly, COVID-19 has disrupted clinic-based services for people who use drugs while catalysing innovative and effective service delivery models, such as “take home” approaches to opioid substitution therapy, approaches that should become the new normal.

PEPFAR, the Global Fund and UNAIDS are helping to utilize the infrastructure developed through the HIV response to contribute to effective COVID-19 efforts. For example, newly credentialed personnel—including more than 280 000 new health-care workers trained by PEPFAR—are now first responders to COVID-19. Reports from countries as diverse as India, Senegal and Uganda illustrate the essential support delivered by HIV community workers, who go door-to-door in lockdowns, distributing HIV prevention materials, treatment and information on how people can protect themselves from COVID-19 and access testing. COVID-19 responses in many countries are also benefiting from laboratory systems that have been vastly improved and expanded as a result of HIV investments.

The work of PEPFAR, the Global Fund and UNAIDS is interdependent and tightly coordinated; the three entities bolster the others’ success in all countries in which we operate. Working in concert, we have been highly effective in helping the United States Government achieve its goal of saving the most lives in the shortest window of time. Now is the time to protect past investments by exercising global leadership in the fight against COVID-19. Doing so will have the added benefits of protecting Americans at home.

“UNAIDS appreciates that COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact on the American people. However, as we have learned from HIV, no one is safe from a virus, which knows no borders, or political divides, until all are safe. No pandemic can be stopped without global solidarity. Working together will help to accelerate the safety of the whole world. We count on the United States to build on decades of leadership in global health, maximizing and protecting impacts made to date on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, by strongly supporting efforts against COVID-19,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

The European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion of the dapivirine ring, a monthly vaginal ring that reduces the vulnerability of women to HIV

GENEVA, 28 July 2020—UNAIDS congratulates the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) on obtaining a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the dapivirine vaginal ring. The monthly ring adapts a medical technology commonly used as a contraceptive device to deliver the antiretroviral medicine dapivirine to prevent HIV.

“UNAIDS welcomes the advances made to make the dapivirine ring available to women in sub-Saharan Africa where around 4500 adolescent girls and young women become infected with HIV every week,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Continued investment in research is needed to fill the HIV prevention gap for women and give them the options they need to protect themselves from HIV.”

Two phase III studies evaluated use of the monthly ring among nearly 4600 women between the ages of 18 years and 45 years in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The Ring Study, led by IPM, found that the ring reduced overall risk by 35%, and the ASPIRE study, conducted by IPM’s clinical trial partner the National Institutes of Health-funded Microbicide Trials Network, found that the ring reduced overall risk by 27%. More recent data from two open-label extension studies suggested a greater risk reduction—of more than 50%.

IPM will now seek regulatory approvals in sub-Saharan Africa, the region most affected by HIV, were many countries recognize the EMA’s opinion. If approved by African regulators, the ring could offer women over the age of 18 years the first long-acting tool they could use on their own terms to reduce the risk of contracting HIV. IPM estimates that given the urgency for women, with strong political will and funding the ring could begin to become available in 2021 in some communities in Africa.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 24 July 2020—UNAIDS is saddened by the death of the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Benjamin William Mkapa. Mr Mkapa was a bold and compassionate leader who worked to promote peace in eastern Africa and was committed to ending AIDS, being credited with much of the United Republic of Tanzania’s success in responding to HIV.

“I’ve learned with sadness that the former President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa, has passed away,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “He was a tireless champion for peace and an AIDS-free Africa. UNAIDS pays tribute to him for his courage, his strength and his leadership.”

In 1999, he declared HIV a national disaster and quickly spearheaded the country’s national response to HIV by establishing the Tanzania Commission for AIDS. He also formed the Tanzania Parliamentarians AIDS Coalition (TAPAC) in 2001, which united the President and Prime Minister, members of parliament and other high-level politicians in the response to HIV.

Some of TAPAC’s key achievements include adopting progressive legislation on HIV and the creation of the Standing Committee on HIV/AIDS Affairs in 2008, which mainstreamed HIV in the work of the parliament. In addition to increasing the national AIDS budget, Tanzanian members of parliament, through TAPAC, raised funds for HIV projects to support nongovernmental organizations, people living with HIV and vulnerable populations.

During his farewell speech upon retirement, on the eve of World AIDS Day in 2005, Mr Mkapa bid the country farewell with a plea to all citizens to find out their HIV status. He asked people to take a voluntary HIV test in order to enable them to make informed decisions and to seek treatment if needed.

After his retirement, he continued to be actively involved in the AIDS response and became one of the founding members of the Champions for an AIDS-Free Generation, a distinguished group of former presidents and influential African leaders committed to ending AIDS.

He was the patron of the Benjamin William Mkapa Foundation which has reached millions of Tanzanians and continues to improve rural health services, health and the well-being of women, men and children, including people living with and affected by HIV.

UNAIDS expresses its deepest condolences to Mr Mkapa’s family and to all who knew and loved him. The AIDS response has lost one of its most committed champions.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 7 July 2020—UNAIDS welcomes the decision by Gabon to decriminalize same-sex sexual relations. Following a vote by the Gabon Senate on 29 June 2020, the signing off of the decision by the President means that Gabon has joined a growing list of countries in Africa and beyond that have removed criminal laws that target and discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

“I applaud the collective decision by Gabon’s parliament, government and President to decriminalize same-sex sexual relations,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “By doing so, Gabon is righting a grave injustice inflicted on the LGBTI community in the country.”

Paragraph 5 of Article 402, which criminalized same-sex sexual relations—with a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a 5 million central African CFA franc fine—was inserted into the new Gabonese Penal Code in July 2019. That paragraph has now been withdrawn. UNAIDS is encouraged that such a step back in terms of human rights can be overturned quickly when communities, civil society, politicians and other allies come together to campaign to right wrongs.

Through legitimizing stigma and discrimination and violence against LGBTI people, the criminalization of same-sex sexual relations stops people from accessing and using HIV prevention, testing and treatment services and increases their risk of acquiring HIV. It is also a profound violation of a basic human right.

Gay men and other men who have sex with men had a 26 times higher risk worldwide in 2019 of HIV acquisition than all adult men. Prohibitive legal and policy environments created by stigma and discrimination are key barriers to dramatically reducing new HIV infections. While UNAIDS calls for the removal of such discriminatory laws, a critical immediate step would be to stop enforcing them.

“This is a very welcome step towards equality for LGBTI people in Gabon,” added Ms Byanyima. “I call on the at least 69 other countries and territories around the world that still criminalize same-sex sexual relations to do the decent thing: stop criminalizing people because of who they love.”

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 7 July 2020—UNAIDS is deeply saddened by the death of Renate Koch, a campaigning pioneer for social justice, feminism and equal rights.

Originally from Germany, she made the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela her home. Together with her partner, Edgar Carrasco, she worked tirelessly for the Citizen Action against AIDS nongovernmental organization. That people living with HIV in her adopted home country can now obtain antiretroviral therapy for free can in part be attributed to her dogged campaigning.

“Renate Koch was a tireless advocate for human rights and equality,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “She will stay in the memory of the UNAIDS family forever.”

She made sure that women’s voices could be heard. She opened spaces for women to be listened to and helped women to amplify their ideas and vision on public health, human rights and diversity. Her voice had a global reach and made change happen.

Her passion was ever-present—in her work, in her life and in every word she said. Global activism has lost a great defender, but we celebrate her life and remember her exceptional achievements.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 2 June 2020—UNAIDS congratulates Quarraisha Abdool Karim, the Associate Scientific Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), for being awarded the prestigious Christophe Mérieux Prize for 2020. Bestowed by the Christophe and Rodolphe Mérieux Foundation to support research into infectious diseases in developing countries, the award is chosen by the Institut de France, based on proposals from the foundation, and comes with a 500 000 euro prize to support further research.

“I am proud to congratulate Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, a vital member of the UNAIDS family, on this incredible achievement,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “This award recognizes the vital work that Professor Abdool Karim and her team have been doing over many years of the AIDS response. That work has led to a better understanding of what women and adolescent girls need to protect themselves against HIV, bringing hope for an AIDS-free generation.”

Professor Abdool Karim is one of the world’s leading AIDS researchers, with pioneering contributions in understanding the evolving HIV epidemic among young women while also advocating for the rights of people living with and affected by HIV. She has a long history of engagement with UNAIDS, is the UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Adolescents and HIV and is a Co-Chair of the UNAIDS Advisory Group, which is providing support to the UNAIDS Executive Director on the future of the AIDS response and the role of UNAIDS within it.

Professor Abdool Karim, who is a professor of clinical epidemiology, was the principal investigator in the landmark CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel trial, which in 2010 provided proof of concept for microbicides as a tool for preventing HIV among women.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Founder of Gay Men’s Health Crisis, ACT UP and award-winning playwright sadly dies aged 84

GENEVA, 28 May 2020—The AIDS movement has lost one of its earliest and leading activists, Larry Kramer, who passed away on 27 May 2020 in New York City. Mr Kramer was one of the first to raise the alarm in the United States of America about the spread of the AIDS epidemic and throughout his life he actively rallied support to accelerate research into treatment and support for people living with HIV.

“Larry Kramer was a remarkable leader and activist whose actions helped to save the lives of millions of people living with HIV around the world,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “He was a passionate and committed disrupter who made change happen. He wasn’t afraid to provoke and shock leaders and officials to react, which is what was needed, and often still is needed to bring the reality of what was happening on the ground to the centre of media attention and political action.”

In 1982, enraged by seeing friends die from the disease, Mr Kramer co-founded Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) to accelerate action from the scientific community and government. GMHC was the first organization to offer support to people living with and affected by HIV and on its first day of operation its AIDS-hotline received more than 100 calls asking for advice and help. Based in New York City, GMHC continues to fight to end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected. 

In 1987, Mr Kramer helped to found ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power. ACT UP took a radical approach to AIDS activism, staging demonstrations, protests and die-ins at pharmaceutical companies, in churches, on Wall Street and Broadway and at government institutions. ACT UP’s campaigning helped to spur progress in research for experimental medicines for HIV treatment and make them available more quickly and more equitably, and at an affordable price. Today, ACT UP is an international, grassroots political group working to end AIDS and improve the lives of people living with and affected by HIV through direct action, medical research, treatment and advocacy, and is working to change legislation and public policies.

Mr Kramer was also a celebrated playwright and novelist, and a leading gay rights activist. He won a series of awards for his screenplays and plays, including a Tony award for his autobiographical play, “The Normal Heart," which tells the story of the AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s.

UNAIDS shares its deep sadness and offers condolences to his husband and all who knew and loved him. He will be sadly missed.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Ground-breaking new study shows the efficacy of a long-acting injectable to prevent HIV

GENEVA, 19 May 2020—UNAIDS warmly welcomes the announcement that the long-acting injectable cabotegravir is safe and effective in preventing HIV among gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender women. The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 083 study enrolled almost 4600 HIV-negative people from across more than 40 sites in North and South America, Asia and Africa.

“This is a breakthrough that will have a significant impact on the lives of gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender women when they are at higher risk of HIV infection.” said Shannon Hader, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme. “We are particularly pleased that the study met its targets to recruit substantial numbers of younger black men who have sex with men and transgender women, the very people for whom accessing effective HIV prevention still remains a huge challenge.”

In 2018, UNAIDS estimates that there were 1.7 million new HIV infections, 54% of which were among key populations and their partners, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers, people who inject drugs, people in prison, clients of sex workers and sex partners of other key populations.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—HIV-negative people using antiretroviral medicine to prevent HIV infection—is an important element in the HIV combination prevention toolkit. PrEP allows people to reduce their risk of becoming infected with HIV, particularly during periods of increased risk in their lives. It may also provide reassurance and reduce anxieties when the risks are uncertain.

Once it has passed regulatory approval, and when production of affordable cabotegravir can be scaled up, gay men and other men who have sex with men will have the choice of three highly effective ways to use PrEP to prevent HIV infection: daily pills, pills taken before and after sexual activity (event-driven PrEP) or an injection every two months. Transgender women will be able to choose between injections or daily pills, since the World Health Organization does not recommend event-driven PrEP because of possible drug interactions with some hormones. Injections of cabotegravir every two months are an important option for people who find it hard to take a pill every day, yet remain vulnerable to HIV infection.

The trial was scheduled to continue for at least another year, but the first interim analysis of the data was brought forward a few weeks because of the potential disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic might cause to high-quality clinical trial procedures. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) in the United States of America reviewed the data up to March 2020 and found that there was already clear evidence that cabotegravir was highly effective and not inferior to the currently recommended oral PrEP regimen.

Half of the study group were given oral PrEP and were injected with a placebo; the other half were given a cabotegravir injection and took a placebo pill. The study found a total of 12 HIV infections in the group using the injectable compared to 38 in the group taking the daily pill. The side-effects of both treatments were relatively mild, with only 2.2% of people in the injection group choosing to stop having the injections because of painful reactions. The DSMB therefore recommended that the study be halted and that all participants be notified of the result. The participants will be able to choose which regimen they wish to continue on.

Despite good adherence in the oral group and very few discontinuations in the injection group, the overall incidence of HIV infection in the study was 0.79 per 100 person-years. Planned analyses will explore why those 50 infections occurred among the 4565 trial participants.

An additional study (HPTN 084) is ongoing to establish the efficacy of the long-lasting injectable in non-transgender women. To date, more than 3000 sexually active women in seven African countries have enrolled in the study. Those results are expected in November.

“We are eagerly awaiting the results of the ongoing HPTN 084 study among African women,” said Dr Hader. “We hope that by the end of this year there will be equally good news for women around the world.”

HTPN 083 was conducted by the HPTN and funded by ViiV Healthcare and the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Cabotegravir has not yet been approved for the treatment or prevention of HIV as a single agent by regulatory authorities anywhere in the world. ViiV Healthcare plans to use the data from HPTN 083 for future regulatory submissions.

UNAIDS congratulates the research teams and urges continued investment in research and development for HIV vaccines, diagnostics, preventative medicines, treatment and a cure. 

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 18 May 2020—A cornerstone of the response to HIV, community-led health service delivery has become even more critical in the context of COVID-19, as the needs of marginalized community members and the burden on the health sector are increasing, making it vital that continued provision of HIV, tuberculosis and other health services is secured.  Community-led organizations are providing a lifeline to underserved, marginalized and hard-to-reach populations around the world.

Physical distancing restrictions have created significant challenges for those needing to access essential services, creating an increased burden on community organizations, which are at the centre of service delivery.

UNAIDS recognizes that community organizations have an unparalleled depth of experience in creating and delivering responses to health and human rights crises within their communities. The many community-led networks and groups that emerged to respond to HIV possess immense practical experience, organizational strength and unparalleled community access for facilitating the delivery of life-saving support, and for influencing people’s real-life practices to better protect their health.

Community-led networks and organizations have also developed important working relationships and roles within health and community systems, including in coordination and task-shifting functions. As evidenced in many countries, these capacities can, with proper support, be deployed to facilitate the provision of COVID-19 information, prevention, testing and linkages to care. Yet without formal recognition of the essential nature of their work, they face significant barriers to continuing to provide services. It is the view of UNAIDS that it is critical to the COVID-19 response and to mitigating broader health impacts of the pandemic that community-led organizations be supported to continue to provide essential services and have the protective equipment and safe policy environment necessary to do so. 

The role of community-led organizations must be appropriately recognized and supported in the context of COVID-19. They must be factored into all aspects of planning, design and implementation of interventions to combat both COVID-19 and the efforts required to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on other health areas, including HIV and tuberculosis. In particular, and as first steps in this effort, UNAIDS urges COVID-19 crisis committees at the national and district levels to:

• Include the workforce of community-led health care services into the lists of essential service providers and treat them as equivalent to health-care providers.
• Design physical distancing restrictions and policies in ways that allow community-led services to continue operating safely. Essential services include, but are not limited to, the physical provision of HIV, tuberculosis and COVID-19 and other health services that include prevention commodities, including condoms, lubricants, clean needles and opioid substitution therapy, contraceptives, hygiene kits, test kits, medication, triage and linkage to care, adherence support, packages of food and other essentials, the provision of legal services and protection for survivors of gender-based violence and other forms of violence and discrimination. Particular attention needs to be paid to people with physical disabilities.
• Provide special authorization to relevant community-led service providers to move freely, with appropriate personal protective equipment, to deliver the services when and where needed.
• Ensure that community-led organizations, networks and groups be provided with personal protective equipment and training in order to protect themselves and their clients in the course of service delivery.
• Take urgent measures to ensure the security, and expansion, of existing funding for community-led organizations, so that those organizations can continue to provide services.
• Ensure inclusive and transparent governance of COVID-19 responses, with decision-making bodies that include representatives of community-led organizations, including those focused on gender, equity and human rights, to ensure that COVID-19 policies are designed to support the range of service providers and activities necessary for an effective and equitable response.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.