Background

The webinar addressed the critical challenge of HIV funding interruptions in sub-Saharan Africa, exploring emergency responses to ensure the continuity of essential HIV services. It highlighted strategies for sustaining key services such as rapid testing, ART initiation, PrEP, Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD), and patient-centered care. The session underscored the importance of maintaining service integrity during crises, focusing on HIV monitoring, quality assurance, and the active engagement of recipients of care. By prioritising the voices and needs of those living with HIV, the webinar emphasized the need to shape response efforts in a way that is responsive, inclusive, and effective.

‍Objectives

• Exploring emergency responses to address the interruptions in HIV funding for sub-Saharan African countries. With a focus on maintaining core HIV services across prevention, care, and treatment, including rapid testing, ART initiation, PrEP, DSD, and patient-centered services.
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• Prioritizing service integrity through HIV monitoring and quality assurance, as well as strategies to enhance recipient-of-care engagement, ensuring that their voices and needs are central to the design and implementation of these emergency responses.

Proceedings ‍

The session began with Opening Remarks from moderators Peter Ehrenkranz (Deputy Director of HIV Testing & Treatment, Gates Foundation) and Peter Preko (CQUIN PI/Project Director, ICAP, Columbia University), who introduced the session’s goals. Kerry Mangold, SSLN Programme Director, followed with Framing Remarks, offering insights into the impact of stop work orders on HIV programs in Africa and how countries have adapted to funding disruptions.

Next, country representatives shared their experiences in the Country Case Studies: Emergency Response for Program Resilience segment:

• Linley Chewere, Malawi’s Director of HIV, STIs, and Viral Hepatitis, discussed how Malawi maintained key HIV services amid funding challenges.
• Andrew Mulwa, Head of Kenya’s National AIDS & STI Control Programme, presented Kenya’s approach to sustaining HIV treatment and prevention.
• Stephen Ayisi Addo, Ghana’s National AIDS/STI Control Programme Manager, concluded with Ghana’s emergency response strategies to preserve HIV care resilience despite funding uncertainties.

This webinar provided a platform for key stakeholders to exchange solutions on addressing HIV funding disruptions and ensuring recipient voices are central in shaping responses.

Resources

‍The slides and recording of this session are available for access below.