EATG community priorities ahead of the 48th UNAIDS PCB meeting

In preparation of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board on 29 June – 2 July 2021, which will discuss how to translate the UNAIDS Strategy and Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS into a plan of action called the Unified Budget, Results and Accountability Framework (UBRAF), EATG presented a community perspective on priorities in the WHO Europe region:

Brussels, 22 June 2022

The European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), recognises the success in achieving and passing the target 90-90-90 in some but not all countries. Too many populations at risk of infection or already living with HIV are facing the lack of political commitment and cooperation in too many countries.

In that context, EATG urges UNAIDS to work with countries in Central and Eastern European and Central Asia to guarantee emergency preparedness and to raise awareness of the vulnerability of key HIV populations, especially during times of crisis.  In particular, we call for UNAIDS support:

1. to create a solid framework for pandemic preparedness and management to prevent the disruption in HIV care due to health emergencies, and improve healthcare system awareness of the vulnerability of people living with HIV and communities most affected by HIV in the global health environment. The plan should foresee the continuation of HIV (and related infections) prevention services
2. to design integrated combination prevention, harm reduction, and mental health programs in collaboration with the affected communities, and ask the Joint Program to optimize and disseminate common resources and results among the most affected countries
3. to advocate for the abolition of punitive legislations so as to improve prevention and health outcomes of sex workers, people who use drugs, LGBTQI, people in detention
4. to enforce the right of migrant populations not to be discriminated against, as well as their right to access healthcare systems and services regardless of their status, their residency or their health insurance situation
5. to fund urgent pilot projects to design and implement, in collaboration with affected communities, e-health and telemedicine systems as a supplementary care to key populations and people living with HIV aimed at improving their health outcomes and decreasing stigma, self-stigma and discrimination.

If these actions can become part of the 2021-2026 plan, the EATG is confident that more results will be visible and will contribute to the improvement of lives in this decade.