https://www.hivspn.org2026-05-30 16:09:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/u-u-for-children-keeping-mothers-healthy-keeping-babies-hiv-freeUndetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) U=U means that when a person living with HIV takes antiretroviral treatment (ART) consistently and achieves an undetectable viral load, they do not transmit HIV sexually. Beyond its impact on HIV prevention, viral suppression also plays a critical role in protecting infants during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For mothers living with HIV, maintaining an undetectable viral load dramatically reduces the risk of transmitting HIV to their babies, making healthy motherhood and HIV-free childhood a reality.2026-03-15 20:33:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/are-sa-children-living-with-hiv-being-left-behind2026-02-24 20:52:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/placing-hspn-at-the-centre-of-triple-elimination2026-02-08 18:17:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/hspn-at-the-centre-sustaining-hiv-treatment-investments-in-south-africa2026-02-01 21:06:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/the-most-forgotten-group-clhiv2025-11-16 09:30:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/moving-the-global-sti-response-forward-insights-from-hspn-and-other-african-advocacy-partnersLeading STI Advocacy and Literacy: We are providing communities with the knowledge they need to make informed sexual health decisions, recognise symptoms, understand treatment options, and challenge stigma. By combining strong diagnostics, comprehensive prevention, and community-centered education, STI advocacy drives improved health outcomes, reduces transmission, and supports healthier, more empowered populations2023-07-11 11:40:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/hiv-cure-agenda-community-voices-are-keyDespite widespread support for MIPA principles, meaningful involvement of PLHIV and other community stakeholders can be challenging to achieve and is not applied consistently in all areas of HIV-related clinical research. A recent systematic review found that community stakeholder involvement predominantly occurs in the early stages of a trial, often to support participant recruitment, but is limited in later trial stages. Methods used to engage with communities are also often researcher driven and utilize formal consultation methods, such as interviews or focus groups, that do not afford PLHIV any power to influence the research process. A team of close to 150 HIV Cure CAB members and Cure alumni's met to discuss strategies to ensure continuous meaning involvement of community in the Cure Agenda2023-05-09 12:01:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/ec-u-u-launch-led-by-plhivEastern Cape becomes the first South Africa province to campaign on U = U. HSPN among the few organisations that initiated the concept and led the launch2021-04-12 11:31:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/women-living-with-hiv-from-south-africa-are-placing-themselves-at-the-centre-to-end-the-epidemic-by-20302020-11-28 21:51:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/plwhiv-are-disempowered2020-11-24 07:58:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/ending-the-hiv-epidemic-by-2030-plwhiv-are-leading-the-hiv-prevention-agenda2020-02-12 22:45:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/the-evolution-of-hiv-treatment2020-01-13 18:52:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/hiv-cure-is-possible2019-07-25 09:58:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/community-at-the-center-of-aids-response2019-07-11 22:08:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/prep-for-discordant-partners-is-a-needThis segment of serodiscordant couples (SDC) is aware of their discordance (that one of them has HIV and the other does not) and have had their relationship disrupted by it in some way. They may be experiencing blame over who brought HIV into the relationship, disconnection around sex, and/or discouragement around conceiving. The discordance has been so disruptive for some that they now face the “discordance dilemma.” They see the avoidance of HIV transmission at odds with preserving their relationship. Other couples endure the discordance out of love and commitment, but the risk of HIV transmission is still disruptive, complicating the things they want and value in their relationship—intimacy and children. For Serodiscordant partners enrolling in PrEP is often perceived as more burdensome than helpful. Bringing up PrEP may resurface undesirable, negative feelings associated with the discordance, such as blame, guilt, and even violence. In visiting an HIV clinic, SDC risk disclosing their discordance to others, and partners without HIV risk being mislabelled as HIV positive. And taking PrEP may bring on undesirable stigma from others. Thus, when SDC compare PrEP to other HIV-prevention tools like condoms, many struggles to be convinced of its relative effectiveness and appeal.2018-11-19 17:11:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/how-to-disclose-your-hiv-status-to-your-kids2018-09-11 16:49:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/hiv-stigma-must-fallElimination of Stigma=Elimination of HIV transmission2018-06-12 10:51:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/i-am-hiv-positive-can-i-breastfeed-my-babyBreast milk is the best2018-04-30 12:00:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/benefits-of-assisted-partner-notification-or-hiv-status-disclosureThe sexual partners and drug injecting partners of people diagnosed with HIV infection have an increased probability of also being HIV-positive . However, partner testing services, including partner notification, for people diagnosed with HIV have not been routinely offered or implemented, therefore, uptake and coverage remains low. The benefits of partner and couples HTS have been well documented, including mutual support to access prevention, treatment and care services, as well as improved adherence and retention in treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes . Partner testing also allows those in serodiscordant partnerships to prioritize effective HIV prevention, such as the use of condoms, immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART), medication adherence by HIV-positive partners, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-negative partners2018-04-26 00:00:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/advantages-of-hiv-couple-counselling-and-testingProvides a venue for mutual disclosure of HIV status in an environment where support can be provided by a counsellor or health worker. Risk-reduction messages can be tailored depending on the outcome of the test results of both partners. Decisions about prevention, accessing treatment, care and support, and family planning options can be made together. Moreover, through couples testing, the counsellor can help create a safe environment in which the couple can discuss potentially difficult issues, such as sexual agreements. Sexual agreements are mutually agreed upon conditions or limitations about sexual behaviours within and outside of the relationship. Couples HIV testing and counselling provides a forum for open discussion about sexual agreements, with the help of a counsellor. This helps both partners fully understand the agreement which may better protect them from HIV2017-06-01 00:00:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/how-can-i-be-negative-if-my-sexual-partner-is-positiveThere are many factors that determine whether or not someone becomes infected with HIV. There may be one or multiple reasons why you have not been infected with HIV. • HIV viral load The amount of virus in your partner’s blood (viral load) is very important for determining if you become infected or not. The higher the viral load, the greater the chance that you will become infected. • The type of virus The type of HIV that infects one person may be very different to the type that infects another. Some types are more likely to spread. Your partner may be infected with a type that spreads less easily. • Frequency of sexual intercourse The more often you have unprotected sex with someone who is HIV positive, the more likely you are to become infected. • Sexual practices Receptive anal sex carries the highest risk of infection. Women are more likely to become infected during vaginal sex than men. • Male circumcision Men who have been circumcised, i.e. the entire foreskin has been removed, are less likely to become infected with HIV than those who have not.2017-05-30 00:00:00https://www.hivspn.org/blog/treatment-access-for-children-with-hiv