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CategoriesGFAN Africa
byWACI Health Secretariat

GFAN Africa at the GFAN Pledging Conference Pre Meetings

Civil society and communities from around the world are meeting over the next few days in the lead up to the replenishment conference.  This is in the lead up to the largest funding request to Global Fund donors requesting an increase the resources pledged to the Global Fund

The purpose of the meeting was to reflect on the impact of the global fund and the pitfalls if we are unable to raise the minimum amount of 18 billion in order to get back on track to ending HIV TB and Malaria. It is an opportunity that created a safe space where honest conversations can be had.

Testimonies from the civil society highlighted that the Global fund has invested resources to enable communities and key populations to access to prevention. diagnosis and treatment services. Some of the tools and commodities mentioned include mosquito nets, rapid diagnostic tests and new treatment regimens that improve the quality of life for many patients. They have supported community and key population participation in the country coordinating mechanisms facilitating the strengthening of community systems and community led monitoring which improves accountability.

The investments have been keen to ensure no one is left behind including communities that live in rural areas and may have a harder time to access the services, People who use Drugs (PWUD), refugees, sex workers and the LGBTIA+ community who in some countries may not be traditionally included in national budgets. These life saving interventions are key to ensuring that we get back on track to ending the epidemics through a people centred approach

 

In the lead up to the pledging conference, communities and civil society are reaching out leaders globally to remind them that without their increased investment into health, backtracking of human rights and access to essential services is inevitable. This will have a snow balling effect that will include less sensitization, treatment and prevention services. The people centred approach will crumble as Funding for community led monitoring, organisations and networks will disappear while reducing the time we have to respond to the looming microbial resistance making it treatment harder and more expensive.

Ultimately more death, unnecessary loss of life.

As we continue drum beating towards a successful replenishment, we call on all communities and civil society to reach out to their leaders and ensure increased allocations and resources towards domestic resources for health.

Every life counts, every voice counts and every cent counts.

Invest In the Global Fund to save lives. #MeetTheTarget

CategoriesGFAN Africa
byWACI Health Secretariat

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: 44 million lives saved, 20 million lives at stake

As part of the global drive to see progress in the fight HIV,TB and malaria accelerate and deliver a strong message to African leaders in  the mid-year coordinating meeting for the African Uion and Regional Economic Communities. Hundreds of people join a continental march to use the power of their voice to demand for increased domestic resource mobilization and commitments to meet the $$ 18billion global fund target. These collective voices represented the urgency to galvanise action and boost financial pledges.”

The match was flagged off by the Minister of Health Hon Sylvia Masebo, civil society, religious leaders, private sector and young people. These voices unite to inspire urgent public and political action to step up the fight in the run up to a critical moment for funding – the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Replenishment conference in September in New York.  

The match serves as timely reminder to the African leaders ahead of the AU summit about the devastating impact of the three diseases.  ‘With the right leadership, tools and funding, millions of  lives continue to saved! This is critical in the delivery and action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and represents an important moment towards achieving SDG 3 – to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages – as well as accelerating progress against multiple other SDGs and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).’ Rosemary Mburu

It is important to note that the Global Fund’s target of at least US $18 billion includes funding from the private sector. However – these three diseases are huge global problems and they need a global large-scale approach. We need all hands-on deck! We definitely cannot take on this challenge on piece meal. The Global Fund operates in over 100 countries, across the world building on why it is best placed to take on this global epidemic. 

In recent months it has been exciting to see other countries step up and increase their commitment to the Global Fund for the next three years. Against this backdrop we urge the African governments to demonstrate continued global leadership in the fight against these three epidemics by increasing the overall contribution by 30% to Global Fund and to domestic resources for health. 

The purpose of the march is to accelerate and maintain momentum on the push for a fully replenished Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The pledge from African states will bring our countries one step closer to keeping the promise on achieving better health care for all by 2030.  Achieving the hugely ambitious goal – which will prevent xx cases and save xx lives.  

“We have a real and rare opportunity to be a part of ending this diseases and changing history, which is why I’m so delighted to call on leaders to step up their support for the Global Fund ,” said Evaline Kibuchi of Stop TB. 

In addition to its immediate life-saving impact, funding the Global Fund will also help to boost economic growth and enable countries to take ownership of tackling their own disease burden. The Global Fund is a smart investment and remains a highly effective mechanism for investment in global health and security. The Global Fund delivers strong value for money. This includes leveraging domestic investments in health from countries affected by the three diseases. More than one-third of the Global Fund’s investments go to building resilient and sustainable systems for health, which have a powerful multiplier effect, not only on people’s overall health status but also on countries as a whole.

Investment by African leaders through the Global Fund has been a critical driver of progress to date and will be essential to staying on the right side of the tipping point. The current trajectory of progress could fall away, costing millions of lives and billions of dollars, or we could seize the opportunity to accelerate action to reach the globally agreed goals on AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030. 

 

CategoriesAfNHI
byWACI Health Secretariat

African activists call for ensuring women and girls have a choice and a voice in HIV prevention and applaud UNAIDS for joining the fight…

African feminists and HIV prevention advocates are united in their advocacy for ensuring African women and girls in their diversity have a range of HIV prevention options to choose from, including the dapivirine vagina ring (ring). While several African countries have approved the licensure of the ring and the WHO has included the ring on the list of essential medicines, some donors are backing away from their support of the ring for rollout beyond the planned Introductory studies as well as support for future research in longer acting rings. Advocates have called for accelerated access to the ring and not to lose sight of the
importance of championing choice and respecting the investment African women and communities have made in bringing the ring to this point. We applaud UNAIDS for promptly responding to a call from advocates to engage on this with their
convening of a meeting on 27 & 28 June in Johannesburg to discuss advocacy for ensuring women and girls have a choice and a voice. At the meeting, UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima accepted the challenge to join women activists to call for accelerated global support and access to long acting HIV prevention tools for women, including the ring.

We hold UNAIDS leadership to their commitments:

  • To address inequalities, policy and structural barriers to access the new long acting HIV prevention tools, including the ring, through the UNAIDS Global HIV Prevention Strategy
  • For the UNAIDS executive director, Winnie Byanyima, to champion women-led HIV prevention in the continent and beyond, being a voice for African women,
  • To open doors with donors – mainly PEPFAR and USAID – and further the discussion for a change of policy which will allow access and support to roll out the Dapivirine Ring,
  • For the UNAIDS Regional East and Southern Africa office to work with advocates in the region to champion women-led prevention campaigns for the ring and other HIV prevention options
  • To integrate a stronger HIV prevention focus into the UNAIDS regional East and Southern African strategy which is in the process of development.
  • To ensure that young women have access to spaces where decisions are made that affect their choices.

 

UNAIDS committed to a follow-on meeting at AIDS2022 to discuss next steps and to ensure that the call
for choice resounds through the conference halls. At the same time, we commend WHO in their statement of continued support of their 2021 recommendation for the ring as an additional prevention option for women at substantial risk of HIV; and the Global Fund for their inclusion of the dapivirine ring in their procurement catalog. And we applaud the African governments who have approved the ring thus far and see the importance of listening to the communities who have said that choice matters in HIV prevention. We call on other African governments to approve the ring and ensure that young women in particular have options to choose from that can work in their lives.

 

Expanded HIV prevention options are critical for women in east and southern Africa where HIV is a persistent public health, reproductive justice, and human rights issue for girls and women. We call on all community, national, regional and global leaders to join us in ensuring young women have a voice and a choice in protecting their lives!

Authors
Yvette Raphael, Advocates for the Prevention of HIV in Africa, South Africa
Nomfundo Eland, Emthojeni, South Africa
Lillian Mworeko, ICW East Africa, Uganda
Vuyiseka Dubula, AEDC, South Africa
Chilufya K Hampongo, Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign, Zambia
Maureen Luba, AVAC, Malawi
Rosemary Mburu, WACI Health, Kenya
Definate Nhamo, PZAT, Zimbabwe
Manju Chatani-Gada, AVAC, USA
Georgina Caswell, GNP+, South Africa
Dr. Lilian Benjamin Mwakyosi, DARE, Tanzania.
Joyce Nganga, Africa Free of New HIV Infections (AfNHi)
Gloria Mululu,Africa Free of New HIV Infections (AfNHi)

CategoriesGFAN Africa WACI Health News
byWACI Health Secretariat

CHOGM: GFAN Africa joins parliamentary delegation for a study tour to Bugesera district in Rwanda

GFAN Africa Members were part of a delegation to Bugesera District in the Eastern Province of Rwanda for a study tour led by the Rwanda Ministry of Health through Rwanda Biomedical Center and CCM Rwanda. The delegation included Members of Parliament from United Kingdom; Zimbabwe. A delegation from Global Fund and Malaria No More UK; and Rwanda CSOs. The delegation set out to learn about the Malaria response in the Rwanda.

The study tour included visiting the Health Center which demonstrated how they treat various diseases including malaria. The experience sharing and learning sessions gave the delegation the opportunity to interact with the Healthcare Providers at the Health Center and Community Health Workers who support and deliver health services.

This included passionate community field workers, like Mary who has been a Community Healthcare Worker since 2003 who reiterated the joy and pride she gets from interacting with former malaria patients who were now healthy and happy.

The study tour was an important reminder of the effectiveness of strong health systems in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases for communities. It strengthened the civil society and community resolve to continue fighting for what counts, to have strong and resilient health systems that can respond to any pandemic and continue saving the lives of people in Bugesera district, Rwanda and all over the world

CategoriesAfNHI WACI Health News
byWACI Health Secretariat

Investing in women, children, and nutrition is not optional. The world’s future depends on it

The global health financing landscape has drastically changed since the end of 2019. The emergence of Covid-19 dramatically increased the need and urgency for investment in global health and additional funds have been needed to respond to the pandemic and its direct and indirect consequences.

Overall, countries around the world are not on track to meet the World Health Organization’s Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality. While the global maternal mortality rate fell 38% from 2000 to 2017 — a significant achievement — this is still less than half the annual rate needed to achieve the goal of less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

In many countries, the lack of access to universal basic health care has hampered the pandemic response, while the pressure of Covid-19 has overwhelmed vulnerable systems, undermining the provision of maternal and child health and the administration of routine vaccination programs. These setbacks are likely to affect child and population health for years to come and reverse hard-won gains.

Source: STAT

CategoriesAfNHI WACI Health News
byWACI Health Secretariat

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day Celebration

AfNHi this year culminated the HVAD celebrations by having a VUKA Show that was targeting young people’s voices on the progress of the HIV vaccine. In public health history, it’s important to note the greatest impact in eradicating or controlling infectious diseases has successfully been achieved through vaccination. However, most of the current HIV prevention methods need regular adherence or daily use. To help end the epidemic, an HIV vaccine which provides long-lasting protection is necessary. Our panel of speakers were hosted by our very own AfNHi Youth cohort member, Ituleleng Mothlabane, and featured a Kenyan clinical researcher Dr Charlene Biwott, and a medical doctor from Nigeria, Dr Progress Agbola. Key highlights of the panel conversation included discussions around the progress the HIV Vaccine development has made to date, amidst the urgent need that would be met by having a vaccine available in the near future.

CategoriesAfNHI
byWACI Health Secretariat

The world still needs a safe, effective, affordable and accessible HIV Vaccine despite disruptions by COVID 19,

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is observed today, the 18th of May to recognize the many volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists working to develop a safe, accessible, affordable and effective preventive HIV vaccine key to ending the HIV and AIDS epidemic. HVAD is also an opportunity to educate communities about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research. HIV research also includes efforts to develop a vaccine for HIV treatment called a therapeutic vaccine, a safe and effective therapeutic HIV vaccine could prevent HIV from advancing to AIDS, replace daily use of HIV medicines, and eliminate HIV from the body. In public health history, it’s important to note the greatest impact in eradicating or controlling infectious diseases has successfully been achieved through vaccination. To help end the epidemic, an HIV vaccine which provides long-lasting protection is necessary to save lives.

While significant progress in reducing HIV and AIDS epidemic has been made through treatment and prevention programs, the rate of new HIV infections still remains unacceptably high. SubSaharan Africa accounts for 70% of the global infection (25.6 million people living with HIV). In addition, the continent has the highest incidence of HIV infections, especially among Adolescents, Girls and young women and young people, thus a preventive HIV vaccine is needed now more than ever before.

Over the last two years, the world has seen unparalleled innovation, investments, and collaboration. The rapid development and rollout of new COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests have transformed the global fight. The transformative advances that are being achieved in the response to COVID-19 could be harnessed to establish strategic and strong collaborations for the HIV and COVID-19 scientific communities. These overlapping epidemics represent an opportunity to extend cross-disciplinary research into the integrated service delivery for HIV and COVID-19 and aim to achieve sustained benefits of prevention and treatment

Lessons learnt from the COVID 19 Vaccines: in the context of introduction and rollout of
an HIV Vaccine
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to accelerated research efforts globally and highlighted the importance of community engagement and leadership in the COVID-19 response, partnerships between science, government, and affected communities are crucial for success. Strong community engagement and empowerment facilitate a two-way communication through which concerns can be addressed. Few countries have sufficient access to these life-saving tools. Manufacturing and regulatory delays curtailed the ability of the lower and lower and middleincome countries to adequately plan and scale up vaccination campaigns as efficiently as highincome countries.

In addition, the health sector has had to deal with many concerns about how vaccines are developed, their potential side effects and how to assess effectiveness. While it is challenging to introduce any new vaccine, ensuring uptake of COVID-19 vaccination presented additional complexities. To be fully effective, vaccination must reach and be accepted by the intended target groups in each country while ensuring strengthening community engagement.

Our African prosperity lies in our human capital therefore critical to invest and save the lives of African people by implementing of learnings of the COVID 19 vaccines while undertaking research to give the world an effective, affordable, accessible and a safe preventive and therapeutic HIV vaccine; the governments, funders and world leaders should consider too;

HIV VACCINES:

Build strong and resilient political will to invest in the delivery of an effective, safe, affordable and accessible HIV Vaccine to end the HIV epidemic
· Efficient and effective delivery of existing and new HIV prevention tools – to curb new infections, avert more deaths and boost the economy of our nations.
· Investing at least 2% of National health budgets in Health research and development (Health R&D)
· All governments and research institutions must ensure vaccine trials are well-conducted and adhere to ethical and meaningful engagement of communities and all stakeholders
· Improve research infrastructure in Africa to promote homegrown solutions

COVID 19 VACCINES:

Vaccines for Africa must be manufactured and procured in Africa for African people to save lives
· Waive the IP protections — including patents, industrial designs, copyrights, and undisclosed information — guarded by the WTO’s agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPS, as proposed by South Africa and India.
· Sustain the level of political and financial commitment needed to control COVID-19 and end the pandemic

Correspondences Contact: AfNHi Coordinator, Ms Joyce Nganga at joyce@wacihealth.org

CategoriesWACI Health News
byWACI Health Secretariat

Zero Malaria Campaign Coalition seeks to end disease

A deadly disease is stealing young futures in Africa and claiming the life of a child every 60 seconds – that is 1300 children dying every day.

Malaria continues to be a significant public health problem in Kenya. The entire population of Kenya is at risk from malaria, including those most vulnerable to the disease, specifically children and pregnant women.

Malaria not only impacts on health but has a crippling socio-economic impact. Every day, malaria hits the very poorest communities hardest. It keeps kids out of school, adults out of work, and communities stuck in a cycle of poverty they can’t escape.  Despite the challenges, this is one fight we can win. Malaria is preventable and treatable, we have more tools now than ever before to prevent, diagnose and treat it.

Enormous strides

Kenya has made enormous strides in the fight against malaria thanks to concerted national efforts by government, partners and communities; shrinking the malaria map, reducing deaths by 2 per cent and saving millions of lives.

The global fight against malaria national malaria fight is becoming the biggest public health success story in history and fighting against  malaria is ranked as one of the most cost-effective global health interventions and Kenya is determined to maintain momentum in spite of the effects of Covid-19.

The pandemic has pushed global health to the forefront of the international agenda, underlining the need to build strong national health systems capable of protecting citizens from infectious diseases and delivering healthy lives.

Source : Nation.africa

CategoriesGFF We Want
byWACI Health Secretariat

Recommendations to improve support for RMNCAH-N

The GFF CSOs advocates should strongly call for increased engagement and participation of the local communities in addressing challenges in delivering RMNCAH-N. Accountability should be enhanced across the entire ecosystem identifying and holding the different stakeholders (e.g., government, CSOs, Faith-based institutions, citizens, youth, Donors) to account for the unique
roles that they play. The GFF should also push governments to stick to the GFF conditions ofadditionality” in order to unlock additional funds to improve health outcomes for women, children and adolescents. The GFF should advocate for the increased participation of CSOs and youth given that they are the linkage between the GFF and the local communities. Increased
knowledge of the existing GFF framework will also enable a better inclusion of community voices and representation by the CSOs and the youth. Encourage participation by other donor agencies and the private sector to support the RMNCAH-N initiatives. This will enable initiatives developed that are well suited to address the challenges facing the local communities.

The GFF should push for governments to share critical information across the different partners enhancing joint accountability. Increase the community engagement in addressing the challenges faced in the RMNCAH-N initiatives. The GFF should explore opportunities to increase the participation of private sector and other donor agencies in the GFF framework. This will drive the additional growth of the funds intended to invest in RMNCAH-N initiatives in countries.

CategoriesGFF We Want
byWACI Health Secretariat

Impact of covid-19 on RMNCAH-N

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant death toll as well as serious health and economic problems. This impact has been felt across all demographics, prompting stakeholders to realign their priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered how healthcare is managed, affecting how the government, individuals, and stakeholders approach healthcare. COVID-19
has also resulted in greater integration of hospital IT systems. The government's priorities have shifted to suit the management of COVID-19from diagnostics to treatment. The pandemic exacerbated existing inadequacies and gaps in health-care systems. Health services were overburdened, with the focus moving to the fight against COVID-19, which was often carried
out in severely understaffed and under-resourced institutions.

Some of the progress made to preserve women's and children's health, such as access to free maternal deliveries and restricted funding for family planning alternatives, was set aside by the government. Governments must evaluate shifting financial priorities and put a mechanism in place to avoid moving funds meant for essential health services such as RMNCAH-N. COVID-19 impacted all agencies (governments, donors, CSOs, and local communities) involved in supporting RMNCAH-N projects, resulting in a redirection of resources and emphasis areas away from RMNCAH-N programs and toward COVID-19 reaction. Some of the government's COVID-19 mitigation measures disrupted health services for mothers, Adolescent girls and young women, and children. Pregnant mothers had limited access to health care due to a night curfew. Governments also reduced financing for family planning programs, reproductive health clinics, and child health services in order to support the important health services identified by COVID-19 that affect young women, children, and adolescents.

Pregnancies among teenagers and young women have increased. Lockdowns and stay-at-home restrictions imposed by the government restricted people's travels away from their houses. Unfortunately, adolescent’s girls and young women were not safe at home as witnessed by an increase in teenage pregnancies and increased cases of Gender based violence.

These gains that have been made overtime have been reversed and are still at a great risk of being further reversed. To meet the massive demands on health care delivery brought on by the pandemic, telehealth was fast-tracked last year, with patients being seen and diagnosed by health practitioners via virtual portals. In a fast-evolving crisis like COVID-19, responders and decision-makers needed timely data about the spread of the disease in order to protect the communities. Innovative use of digital solutions has been identified as a safe and effective way to reach people.

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