In the heart of Nairobi, Kenya, a transformative gathering recently took place, sparking dialogue, igniting passion, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders committed to addressing the unique challenges faced by women living with HIV across Africa. The African Workshop on HIV and Women, held in February 2024, emerged as a beacon of hope, paving the way for innovative solutions and collective action in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
At the workshop, participants delved into critical issues at the intersection of HIV and women’s health. Central to discussions were the ground-breaking Undetectable = Untransmutable (U=U) campaign and the often-overlooked impact of menopause on HIV care. These themes underscored the importance of tailored approaches to HIV prevention, treatment, and support that recognize the unique needs of women across different stages of life.
Participants identified several key gaps and challenges hindering progress in HIV care for women. Concerns were raised regarding the lack of data and support programs for individuals living with HIV beyond the age of 49. Dorothy Onyango, ICWEA FIERCE Winner 2023 Kenya & ED WOFAK, highlighted this issue, stating, “We are forgetting old people living with HIV. We need to have programs for aging with HIV in place supporting old people living with HIV.”
Challenges in transitioning adolescents from pediatric to adult HIV care were highlighted, where there is a need for comprehensive transition plans. Participants stressed the importance of ensuring a smooth transition, with one attendee sharing, “Transitioning from adolescent clinic to the Adult clinic should be smooth. Therefore, we should put in place a transition plan.”
Calls to action were made for the establishment of age-specific clinics to better cater to the diverse needs of different age groups. Advocates suggested, “Have age-related clinics e.g. youth to have specific days like Saturday for their clinics and support groups.”
Participants went on to emphasize the importance of more frequent service delivery intervals and re-evaluation of psychosocial support components within Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) models. It was suggested that “DSD should be monthly. While the psychosocial part should stop.”
Addressing Intimate Partner Violence: The impact of abusive relationships on treatment adherence and U=U practice was acknowledged as a significant barrier. Attendees highlighted the need for support in such situations, with one participant stating, “It’s evidenced that people in abusive relationship or marriages hard to practice U=U.”
Challenges related to limited laboratory staff and ART stockouts continue to impede HIV care delivery. Concerns were raised about the ability to meet the demand for services, with one participant noting, “Lab staffs are very limited.”
Advocates emphasized the need for universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare to address underlying inequalities driving HIV infections among women. Dr. Medhin Tsehaiu from UNAIDS Kenya highlighted this, stating, “Universal access to sexual and reproductive Healthcare. It is the inequality that fuels the infections. This should be the center & focus.”
Calls to Action:
Building upon the insights gained from the workshop, participants issued a series of actionable recommendations:
Offering a variety of HIV testing options to increase accessibility and uptake among young people. It was suggested that “Young people should be offered a menu of HIV testing modalities and the opportunity to choose their mode of testing.”
Addressing the shortage of laboratory staff to expand access to routine viral load testing. One participant stressed, “Access to routine viral load testing is still limited due to limited laboratory staffs.”
Developing contraceptives specifically tailored to the needs of adolescents. Attendees highlighted the importance of customization, stating, “The modern contraceptives in adolescent no ‘one size fits all’ therefore we should come up with contraceptives that favour them.”
Advocating for government funding and support for new prevention methods to curb new infections among young women. Lillian Mworeko, The Executive Director for ICWEA, emphasized this, asking, “What can we do in this room to make sure that these tools get where they need to be?”
Actively involving adolescents in decision-making processes regarding their HIV care. It was emphasized that “Adolescent on ART should be listened to. We shouldn’t assume but get facts from them.”
Sustaining efforts to educate women, particularly during breastfeeding, on the possibility of U=U. Attendees stressed the importance of awareness, stating, “Continue sensitizing women on the context of breastfeeding U=U is possible.”
Strengthening partnerships and networks to collectively address gaps in HIV care and support. Participants highlighted the need for collaboration, stating, “Strong collaborations and networks are needed to close the gap making U=U everyone’s business.”
The African Workshop on HIV and Women served as a catalyst for change, uniting stakeholders in a shared mission to empower women and young women living with HIV and advance the broader fight against the epidemic. As the momentum from the workshop continues to reverberate across the continent, it is clear that by working together, we can build a future where every woman and young woman living with HIV has access to the care, support, and opportunities she needs to thrive.
