IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission Report Provides a Roadmap for the Future of Urban HIV Responses
Report Released on Eve of AIDS 2024 Conference in Munich
Munich, Germany (22 July 2024) – The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission on the Future of Urban HIV Responses was released today at an official event at the Munich Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) in Munich, Germany. Released on the eve of the AIDS 2024 conference, the report offers a detailed roadmap to optimize urban HIV responses with the aim of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 – ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission was established to examine and propose actionable recommendations for enhancing urban HIV responses. The Commission’s work was grounded in the experiences of a global network of more than 550 Fast-Track Cities that have been advancing data-informed, equity-based HIV responses since the network’s creation in 2014. Because the Commission’s work spanned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission’s deliberations included lessons learned from cities implementing innovative approaches to maintain a continuity of HIV and other health services through several waves of COVID-19 infections.
The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission report is divided into seven key sections, each addressing a fundamental aspect of urban HIV responses: 1) Centering equity in urban HIV responses; 2) Realizing the right to health in urban settings; 3) Addressing urban social determinants of health; 4) Addressing syndemic conditions and comorbidities in urban settings; 5) Building urban health systems resilience; 6) Implementing urban data-driven accountability frameworks; and 7) Modeling an end to urban HIV epidemics. Each section includes 10 key recommendations, and the report also cites opportunities for action by local, national, and international stakeholders.
Following is a link to access the Commission report: www.thelancet.com/commissions/urban-hiv-responses
Access a Commission infographic focused on creating an enabling environment for ending urban HIV epidemics: https://www.thelancet.com/pb-assets/Lancet/infographics/urban-hiv/image.pdf
Take a listen to a Lancet HIV podcast conversation with Commission Chair Dr. José M. Zuniga: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1062154/15429472
Quotes from Select Commissioners:
“The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission’s recommendations are aligned with the global goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, with a particular emphasis on centering equity in urban HIV responses,” said Dr. José M. Zuniga, President/CEO of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC), who served as Chair of the 52-member IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission. “Addressing the unique challenges posed by urbanization, including social determinants of health, is vital to ensure that efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat are both sustainable and reflect the meaningful engagement of affected communities at every step along the journey in every city of the world.”
“Our work as the IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission underscores the importance of integrating community voices and lived experiences into the urban HIV response. By doing so, we ensure that interventions are not only effective but also equitable and inclusive, leaving no one behind,” said Dr. Nicoletta Policek, a Commissioner who is also Executive Director of the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG). “Across the Commission report’s seven sections and their accompanying recommendations, there is a recognition that affected communities are critical to the effectiveness of urban HIV responses, from shaping policies to delivering services and monitoring progress.”
“The resilience of health systems is crucial to sustaining HIV responses in urban settings that prioritize realizing the right to health for all individuals,” said Dr. Nombulelo Magula, a Commissioner who is also a Professor of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine. “The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission recommendations on health systems and the health workforce provide a roadmap for cities to strengthen their health infrastructures so that all individuals have access to the care and support they need.”
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About the IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission: The IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission on the Future of Urban HIV Responses was convened to assess how diverse stakeholders can localize and take action to achieve SDG 3.3. Out of its deliberations, the Commission produced a report focused on a broad range of intersectional domains, with the centering health equity in urban HIV responses as its foundation. The Commission’s report includes key recommendations and outlines opportunities for action to accelerate progress towards realizing SDG 3.3). For more information about the IAPAC-Lancet HIV Commission, please visit: https://www.iapac.org/fast-track-cities/iapac-lancet-hiv-commission-on-the-future-of-urban-hiv-responses/
About IAPAC: The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) represents more than 30,000 clinicians and allied health professionals in over 150 countries. IAPAC’s mission is to improve the quality of care and treatment provided to people living with HIV and to ensure access to preventive and therapeutic measures for people at risk of HIV. IAPAC is one of the core partners of the Fast-Track Cities and works in collaboration with the Fast-Track Cities Institute (FTCI) to support the network of 550+ cities. For more information about IAPAC, visit: https://www.iapac.org/
About the Fast-Track Cities Initiative: The Fast-Track Cities initiative is a global partnership between 550+ cities and municipalities to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Launched in 2014 by IAPAC, UNAIDS, the United Nations Programme on Human Settlements (UN-Habitat), and the City of Paris, the initiative supports cities in addressing health disparities fueling the HIV epidemic by facilitating data-driven, equity-based approaches to and meaningful community engagement in urban HIV response. For more information about the initiative, please visit: https://www.iapac.org/fast-track-cities/about-fast-track/
