Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) strengthens commitment to eliminate HIV-stigma and discrimination
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 12 – Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) convened over 30 PLHIV network leaders from across the world in Nairobi to strengthen local for global advocacy towards secured access to treatment and quality of life for all people living with and impacted by HIV.
PLHIV network came together in solidarity to rebuild the HIV movement in response to the shifting global priorities that has cut funding to the sector at a time when progress had also stagnated.
They seek to build consensus on key priorities for people living with HIV to inform countries and other global stakeholders in the HIV response in time of adapting and re-defining its work within the HIV response during the development of the national HIV response sustainability roadmaps, the Global AIDS strategy and the 2026 HIV political declaration.
In 2023, 9 million people living with HIV did not access life-saving treatment resulting to 630,000 fatalities highlighting stark reality that the global response is off-track.
US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-Pepfar and USAID contracts cancellation has impacted $2.88bn HIV specific funding triggering $567 million in monthly HIV funding cuts dropping to $28 million in early 2025 dismantling community health systems, human resource shortages halting of services in Pepfar funded clinics reversing decades of progress.
“Taking into account the needs and realities of PLWH enabled us to adjust our service delivery the sustainable roadmaps are our anchor point. We need to integrate HIV in primary health care,” said Jolijn van Haaren, Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs.
Furthermore, the network leadership said its determined not to panic and reverse the gains but to strengthen the capacity of PLHIV networks to collaborate with their governments as they adapt changes to their national HIV programs including steps to mobilize domestic resources, integrate HIV services into primary healthcare and safeguard prevention and community health system.
“Governments and country stakeholders have agency and country systems, mechanisms that are the gateway to sustainability, HIV response must be redesigned for delivery within Government multi-sector national systems and mechanisms- with strategic investments in national systems- data, supply chains, laboratory and community health to safeguard the HIV response,” said Dr. Nduku Kilonzo, Yemaya Health advisory.
UNAIDS and PEPFAR have initiated the HIV Sustainability framework aligned with national plans and government leadership with the upcoming development of the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031 and the 2026 UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS present crucial opportunities for PLHIV engagement and advocacy.
“The lives of over 40 million people living with HIV worldwide extend beyond mere statistics. GNP+ emphasizes the need for a unified effort to reimagine strategies for sustained access to treatment, ensuring people not only survive but thrive,” stated GNP+ Co Director Florence Anam.
They further noted that GNP+ is actively engaging with national PLHIV networks and other key stakeholders including government agencies, WHO and UNAIDS to ensure that the voices of PLHIV are central to these processes.
“Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) is dedicated to ensuring a world where all people living with HIV have access to a healthy, dignified life, free from stigma and discrimination”, added Anam.
