Communities are a central resource to address HIV, TB & COVID-19

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Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV

Recipients of care and their communities are a first and central resource to address the epidemics of HIV, TB and COVID-19. Our recently published rapid assessment and report, titled Community-Led Monitoring in Indonesia, Uganda, Ukraine and Vietnam: Assessing the Impact of Covid-19 on People Living with HIV, has shown that recipients of care can usefully describe gaps in access to essential health services—including routine health screenings and testing services, medical care and treatment, and prevention and support services—and can showcase disparities in health and human rights.

The final paragraphs of the Conclusion point to what the participating community organizations did locally with the results of this report during the past year and what can be done in the coming year:

“Through community-led monitoring and related advocacy, recipients of care can also provide valuable support to health providers and government health authorities to “build back better” in a post-pandemic landscape and better tailor prevention and treatment services to population needs, achieve higher rates of utilization and retention, and produce better population-level health outcomes with more effective and efficient use of resources.

Improvements in the quality and effectiveness of health programmes in ensuring positive health outcomes would hasten achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. A major push to finally end HIV and TB epidemics is needed to deliver humanitarian and health security benefits for the world.”

ITPC recognizes the tireless efforts of all partner organizations in implementing the activities highlighted in this report. We express our particular thanks to all of the people living with HIV, health workers and community activists who were involved in data collection. Many thanks to Martine Chase and Rebecca Hodes, as well as my colleagues who helped write and edit this report. ITPC also appreciates support from the Partnership to Inspire, Transform and Connect the HIV Response (PITCH) programme.

This rapid assessment and report was managed by ITPC through Watch What Matters, a community-led monitoring and research initiative to gather data on access to and quality of HIV treatment globally.