In the conference a lot was discussed but most of the sessions focused on treatment, prevention and human rights. On treatment scaling, availability, accessibility, affordability of ART was emphasized. On prevention different strategies were mentioned which included but not limited to, treatment as prevention, PMTCT-B+ option, VMCC, and all biomedical HIV prevention trials. On the other hand human rights focus was put on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and minority groups’ rights. Approaches to HIV/TB prevention and treatment were also discussed.
Personally there were many lessons learnt but most important of all ART was a crosscutting issue to most HIV prevention strategies and interventions to come to an end of the AIDS pandemic. To add on that the leaders in our country have a very big role to play by fulfilling their commitments, implementation of policies and guidelines as far as health is concerned.
The conference met my expectations because the programs that we have been advocating for as a country like scaling up of ART services, implementation of PMTCT option B+, HIV/TB collaboration, Sexual reproductive health rights were given a lot of emphasis in many sessions. The conference would have been a better fora by giving higher opportunities to PLHIV to attend because these are people with the problem and I believe they have better solutions to the HIV/AIDS response. ICW should engage all membership regions so as to have a full representation in such conferences.
Secondly ICW should conduct pre conference meetings to help them come up with one voice for such conferences.
Compiled by:
Betty Muhangi
ICW Board member
Uganda
