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30.10.2015 Togo

USAID Promotes An AIDS-Free Generation In West And Central Africa

By US Embassy, Accra
USAID Promotes An AIDS-Free Generation In West And Central Africa
30.10.2015 LISTEN

Lomé, TOGO – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with UNAIDS and the Global Fund, supported the second West and Central Africa Key Populations (KP) workshop on the theme “Enhancing KP Interventions: Taking Stock and Moving Forward”. This 3-day workshop was organized by the USAID Regional HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project PACTE-VIH and hosted by the Government of Togo (Ministry of Health).

In West and Central Africa, the prevalence of HIV among the general population remains low, with 12 of 24 countries reporting a national HIV prevalence of less than 2 percent. However, the prevalence among key populations in the region is between 3 and 30 times higher than the general population. Ending the HIV epidemic in West and Central Africa requires that programs and policies take an innovative and targeted approach that emphasizes access to services for those populations, and that best programmatic practices are shared, replicated and scaled.

“Establishing a strong coalition and appropriate strategies to confront programmatic challenges is necessary to advance the HIV response in West Africa and Central Africa,” said Peter H. Barlerin, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Togo. “We need to collaborate and promote cooperation on issues requiring collective actions to advance the fight against HIV in West and Central Africa. This workshop is therefore in response to key recommendations from the May 2014 regional KP meeting that called for the establishment of annual technical forums on KP in the region to share experiences and learn from others.”

The workshop, funded through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) took place October 27-29, 2015, in Lomé, Togo. More than 100 participants, including representatives from government and civil society groups from countries in the West and Central Africa region, regional institutions such as the West Africa Health Organization, donors, development partners and Key population groups reviewed the status of HIV activities targeting KPs, highlight promising practices to facilitate their scale-up in the region, and promote networking and collaboration among actors. In addition, participants learned about new prevention technologies being implemented in other regions.

PEPFAR is the U.S. Government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world.

This activity is funded through the USAID West Africa Regional Office, whose goal is to promote social and economic well-being advanced by West Africans. Spanning 21 countries, USAID/West Africa designs and implements programs with West African partners to strengthen systems of non-violent conflict management, support economic growth, and expand quality health services.

The American people, through USAID, provide economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries worldwide. For more information please visit http://www.usaid.gov/west-africa-regional.

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