Projects and Events

The congress will bring together researchers, policymakers, civil society, and industry leaders to translate cutting-edge HIV research into actionable policies and practices, strengthen evidence-based decision-making and promote innovative solutions to improve public health outcomes across Africa

Mandisa Dukashe- the founder of HSPN approached the E.C to secure a buy-in from the policy makers and leaders of the province. The campaign was finally and officially launched with pledges of support from Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, community members and other prominent stakeholders, including the Eastern Cape Provincial AIDS Council, the Department of Health, the South African National AIDS Council and UNAIDS. Eastern Cape was the first of nine provinces in South Africa to launch a public information campaign to raise awareness of U = U (undetectable = untransmittable) and to encourage people living with HIV to commence, maintain or resume treatment and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load. For more information, please read here: https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2022/march/20220321_eastern-cape-u-u

Conducted district based dialogues and engagements with various civil society organisation to promote the uptake of U=U messaging. Advocated for adoption and integration of U=U in demand creation programs to promote retention to care and distigmatise HIV. These engagements led to a wide and national adoption of U=U, and eventually a national launch (following various district based and provincial launches)

HSPN convened dialogues with organizations to 1) understand community perspectives on VL testing access and practise; 2) ensure community engagement in HIV monitoring research studies; and 3) generate broad- based community support and demand for innovation products and conducted a series of country-level landscape analyses on VLT to better understand the current context, assess barriers and facilitators to VLT among community members. HSPN worked with community stakeholders to co-create a community engagement plans and hosted five workshops on VLT access and education of approximately 20 attendees. At the conclusion of the fifth workshop, HSPN hosted a community advocacy in Johannesburg in relation to VLT access advocacy.

Through consultations with local government officials and civil society leaders in North West, Gauteng, and KwaZulu Natal Provinces, the HIV Survivor’s Partner Network identified several major STI prevention gaps. They found that test kit shortages lead providers to diagnose STIs based on symptoms alone, which may lead to under- or over-treatment and could potentially exacerbate antimicrobial resistance. They also noted that limited HPV vaccination coverage leaves significant populations, including adult women, boys, and girls who attend private schools, unprotected. Specifically, they found that only 35% of HIV testing clients were screened for STIs, and that many community organizations lacked STI literacy materials. Additionally, most private school girls had not been offered the free HPV vaccine, underscoring the urgent need for policy reforms. They call for greater civil society engagement to advance STI literacy and advocate for new diagnostics and vaccines.