Publications

The Pacific Regional Strategy and Implementation Plan 2009-2013, (PRSIP II) has been the backbone of control initiatives in Pacific Islands Countries and Territories (PICTs) in the last five years to mitigate HIV and other STIs. Over the period, several PRSIP related objectives were carried out nationally in Tonga and cross-nationally by regional partners in PICTs. Majority of these interventions were jointly funded by the Response Fund (2009-2013) and Global Fund Round 7 (2008-2013). One of the important dictates of PRSIP is a need for PICTs to periodically review and update their National HIV and other STIs Control Strategic Plans. This document, Tonga National Integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategic Plan (2014-2018) is the key deliverable of a cascade of six policies and strategies development phases.

How do we close the gap between the people moving forward and the people being left behind? This was the question we set out to answer in the UNAIDS Gap report. Similar to the Global report, the goal of the Gap report is to provide the best possible data, but, in addition, to give information and analysis on the people being left behind. Too often people at higher risk of HIV infection face multiple issues—such as being a young woman displaced from home and living with HIV. Ensuring that no one is left behind means closing the gap between people can get services and people who can't, the people who are protected and the people who are punished.

This paper addresses the sexual and reproductive health (SRH)—including HIV prevention, care and treatment — and other health service needs of adolescents aged 10 – 17 engaged in selling sex in the Asia Pacific region. While the United Nations defines adolescents as 10 – 19, we purposefully focus on ages 10 – 17 due to the unique legal and policy implications faced by this age group as compared to older cohorts. In regards to terminology, the term "engaged in selling sex" is used for its inclusive and non-stigmatising connotations as well as the benefit of a behavioural description to tailoring programmatic interventions. While the paper predominantly focuses on SRH and health services, we recognise that multiple systems, such as the social welfare and child protection systems, are organized around responding to adolescent needs. In addition, health issues arise from adolescent contact with health, law enforcement and child protection systems.

Nationally representative surveillance of HIVDR in populations initiating a standard triple-drug ART combination is critical to inform the selection of effective first-line ART combinations, as well as adequate pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens. The purpose of this survey is to calculate (a) a nationally representative prevalence estimate of HIVDR among all ART initiators, and (b) a nationally representative prevalence estimate of HIVDR among initiators without prior exposure to ARV drugs.

This report has been compiled using country-level data reported to WHO on the procurement of ART via the Global Procurement Reporting Mechanism (GPRM), the WHO database on the regulatory status of ART, reports on the production capacity for the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of ARVs, the annual WHO surveys on the use of ART, the Global AIDS Response Progress Report data, the Global Update on the Health Sector Response to HIV 2014, as well as contributions from countries and major stakeholders involved in ART access. In this report we examine global trends in ARV prices and assess how WHO treatment guidelines have influenced the uptake of different ARV formulations.

This concept note describes methods to assess nationally representative levels of viral load suppression and drug resistance in adults receiving ART through the implementation of a cross-sectional survey. The main purpose of this survey is to calculate nationally representative prevalence estimates (with associated confidence intervals) of (1) VL suppression and (2) of HIVDR in populations receiving ART for 12 (±3) months and for ≥48 months.

This 17th edition of Untangling the Web of Antiretroviral Price Reductions is a departure from recent previous years. For this edition, the methods of collecting information on the sources and prices of antiretrovirals (ARVs) remain the same, but information is presented in a new, shorter format focusing on a few key drugs as well as future regimens, along with an analysis of the current opportunities, challenges and threats faced in keeping the price of ARVs down.

The results of Viet Nam’s national consultations on post-2015 contributed to the global report "A Million Voices" and informed several key reports, such as the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Secretary-General’s recent report on the MDGs and the Post-2015 Agenda "A Life of Dignity for All". Since then, Viet Nam has remained actively engaged in the global post-2015 process. For the second round of national consultations on the implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda, the UN Country Team selected "participatory monitoring for accountability" of the six issues agreed at the global level3. This issue was considered critical for the successful implementation of the next development goal agenda in Viet Nam.

The EMPHASIS project (Enhancing Mobile Populations’ Access to HIV and AIDS Services, Information and Support) has provided a diverse range of services to cross-border migrants in India, Nepal and Bangladesh over the past five years. This report explores the project and the lessons it offers for both implementation and outcomes. It focuses, in particular, on women’s empowerment and safe migration, as these are the two areas that emerged as cross-cutting themes that had a major impact on the agency of women who were, in turn, catalysts for change over the five years of the project.

- A comprehensive and context-specific approach is required to tackle migrants’ vulnerabilities including addressing issues related to safety and dignity, rights and entitlements, as well as HIV and broader health-related challenges. - To maximise impact, projects targeting migrants should plan interventions at source, transit and destination with both migrants and their spouses. - Migration projects should include components that focus on women migrants’ specific vulnerabilities, such as harassment, violence, stigma and discrimination, as well as their vulnerability to HIV and other health problems.