HIV Prevention
Although the overall prevalence of HIV infection (percentage of people infected with HIV) appears to have stabilized in recent years, the number of people living with HIV is increasing because of the continued accumulation of new infections and survival, as measured by a continuous growth of the population in general.
Worldwide, a small but growing number of countries have reduced HIV prevalence through effective prevention efforts. High rates of HIV transmission is largely the result of lack of use of information available and effective prevention strategies and tools, and low coverage of prevention programs for HIV. Prevention services reach only 20% of the poor in 2005, while coverage of key populations at higher risk of HIV exposure were significantly lower.
An effective HIV prevention focuses on the critical relationship between the epidemiology of HIV infection, risk behaviors that expose them to HIV transmission, and also addresses the social collective and institutional standards as of gender, gender inequality and stigma associated with HIV, who also continue to fuel the HIV epidemic.
Risky behaviors are integrated in the complex chain of economic, legal, determinants of political, cultural and psychosocial to be analyzed and addressed by policies that also implemented efficiently and with better programming.
HIV prevention requires a combination of programs and policies that promote safer behaviors, reduce vulnerability to transmission, encourage use of key technologies for the prevention, promote social norms that encourage risk reduction and address the drivers of the epidemic.
Effective prevention efforts focus on measures that directly support risk reduction by providing information and skills and access the required products (such as condoms, sterile injection equipment and substitution therapy) for people need. In short, national planners and politicians should: 1) Know your epidemic, and 2) Set priorities accordingly.
Prevention and treatment must be expanded in a balanced manner, to exploit fully the synergies between the two. A comprehensive HIV prevention requires a combination of programs and policies that promote safer behaviors, reduce the biological and social vulnerability to transport, promoting the use of key prevention technologies and promoting social norms that promote risk reduction.
HIV prevention is to address a wide range of issues addressed in other areas subject to the political section of the site. Linking programs for HIV prevention and related services, such as sexual health services and reproductive health and legal services for women, may also contribute to the intensification of HIV prevention. Strong links and a special effort to reach those most at risk and excluded from access to services will result in more relevant and cost-effective programs with greater impact.
UNAIDS coordinates its own collective efforts to strengthen prevention in the context of universal access to prevention, care, support and treatment, promoting the comparative advantages of UNAIDS Cosponsors and the Secretariat to strengthen support for high quality, comprehensive programs for HIV prevention at all levels. UNAIDS also collaborates with a number of other actors, and encourages and supports the development of groups of high HIV prevention. The main objective of UNAIDS on intensification of HIV prevention at country level as part of its efforts to support countries in strengthening their overall national responses to the AIDS epidemic.
Key policy actions for HIV prevention
1. Ensure that human rights are promoted, protected and respected and that measures to eliminate discrimination and combat stigma.
2. Develop and maintain leadership from all sectors of society, including governments, affected communities, NGOs, religious organizations, the education sector, media, private sector and trade unions.
3. Involving people living with HIV in the design, implementation and evaluation of prevention strategies, meeting the distinct needs of prevention.
4. Consider cultural norms and beliefs, recognizing both the important role they can play in supporting prevention efforts and the potential they have to encourage the transmission of HIV.
5. Promote gender equality and maintain gender norms and relations to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls, involving men and boys in this effort.
6. Promote broad awareness and knowledge of how HIV is transmitted and how infection can be avoided.
7. Encourage links between HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
8. Support for responses based on community mobilization through the continuum of prevention, care and treatment.
9. Promote programs of HIV prevention needs of key groups and affected populations.
10. Mobilizing and strengthening financial, human development and institutional arrangements in all sectors, particularly health and education.
11. Review and reform legal frameworks to eliminate barriers to effective, evidence-based HIV prevention, combat stigma and discrimination and protect the rights of people living with HIV or vulnerable or at risk for HIV.
12. Ensure that investments are not enough in research and development, and promotion of new prevention technologies.