PLHIV Leaders Call for Urgent Action and Collaboration to Safeguard HIV Response at Global Summit in Nairobi


By East Africa Times Reporter 

Over 30 leaders of networks of people living with HIV (PLHIV) from across the globe convened in Nairobi this week for the PLHIV Leadership Summit 2025, a crucial gathering organized by the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+). The summit served as a rallying point to unify PLHIV voices and shape global and national HIV strategies in an era marked by funding crises and shifting public health priorities.

With the global HIV response facing a crossroads, the summit emphasized the urgent need to fortify local advocacy and align it with international efforts aimed at securing access to life-saving treatment and quality healthcare for the over 40 million people living with HIV worldwide.

Global Setbacks and Funding Cuts Threaten Progress

In stark contrast to earlier gains, the global fight against HIV is now in peril. In 2023, an estimated 9 million people living with HIV lacked access to treatment, and 630,000 people died from AIDS-related causes. The situation has been exacerbated by the cancellation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and USAID contracts, leading to a staggering $2.88 billion cut in HIV-specific funding. Monthly funding has plummeted from $567 million to just $28 million in early 2025.

These abrupt funding cuts have dismantled vital community health systems, created human resource shortages, and halted services at PEPFAR-funded clinics—potentially reversing decades of hard-won progress.

A Turning Point in HIV Response

Despite the daunting challenges, summit participants voiced a collective resolve to rebuild and innovate. "We are at a huge turning point of the HIV response, with a lot of chaos in the global health landscape," said Jolijn van Haaren of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The sustainable roadmaps are our anchor point. We need to integrate HIV into primary health care."

National leaders and advocates called for stronger collaboration with governments, pushing for domestic resource mobilization and integration of HIV services into primary healthcare systems. These steps, they say, are essential for ensuring that sustainability roadmaps are inclusive, innovative, and accountable.

“The HIV response must be redesigned for delivery within government multi-sector national systems,” said Dr. Nduku Kilonzo of Yemaya Health Advisory. “We must strategically invest in national data, supply chains, laboratories, and community health.”

Looking Ahead: Strategy, Accountability, and Unity

With the deadline to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 fast approaching, leaders at the summit stressed the importance of leveraging upcoming global opportunities, including the development of the 2026-2031 Global AIDS Strategy and the 2026 UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS.

“GNP+ emphasizes the need for a unified effort to reimagine strategies for sustained access to treatment, ensuring people not only survive but thrive,” said Florence Anam, Co-Director of GNP+. “Undetectable = Untransmittable is not just a message; it’s a mandate to prioritize viral suppression for both prevention and quality of life.”

GNP+ reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that PLHIV are central to the development and implementation of HIV strategies, working closely with governments, WHO, UNAIDS, and other key stakeholders.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HRMPEB Certifies Record 1,130 New HR Professionals, Marking a Defining Moment for Kenya’s Workforce

Image
Reporting by Jameson Mutua  Nairobi, October 24, 2025 — Kenya’s Human Resource profession reached a historic milestone on Friday as the Human Resource Management Professionals Examination Board (HRMPEB) certified its largest cohort to date, 1,130 new Certified Human Resource Professionals (CHRPs). The landmark event, held at Jamhuri Park along Ngong Road, was not only a celebration of academic achievement but also a powerful testament to dedication, resilience, and professional excellence. Speaking during the ceremony, officials emphasized that the certification marks more than just numbers; it symbolizes the growth of a profession that sits at the heart of organizational transformation. Each newly certified professional, they noted, represents countless hours of study, personal sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to advancing people management in Kenya. This year’s cohort represents a significant increase from 708 graduates in 2024, underscoring the rising confidence in the CH...
Read more

What President William Samoei Ruto said was not reckless. It was responsible. It was lawful. It was necessary

Image
  When the President said police should shoot in the leg, rush the terrorism suspect to hospital, then take them to court — he was not calling for extra-judicial killings. He was simply restating what the law already provides. Section 61 of the National Police Service Act gives officers the power to use reasonable and proportional force — including their firearms — to protect life and property. Those guns, bought with our taxes, are not ceremonial ornaments. They are tools of law enforcement — and when life, public safety or national stability is under threat, the police must not hesitate to use them appropriately. If a terrorist tries to burn down a police station or a looter attempts to torch a market or hospital — the police have a duty to act swiftly, firmly and lawfully. To disable, not to execute. To preserve life, not take it. But also, to protect innocent citizens, not watch helplessly. When a bullet departs the barrel of a gun, death , even though unintended, is one of the...
Read more

Journalists Assaulted During Chaotic DCP Party Launch in Nairobi

Image
  By East Africa Times Reporter   What was meant to be a political milestone quickly descended into disgrace and violence on Thursday, as the launch of the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) in Nairobi turned chaotic and hostile, leaving at least two journalists assaulted and media equipment destroyed. Held along Musa Gitau Road, the event was marred by disorder, poor planning, and total disregard for safety and press freedom. Eyewitnesses say the violence broke out when unidentified individuals forced their way into the venue, leading to a stampede-like situation. Hired private security and bouncers retreated by firing gunshots in the air to control the goons. In the mayhem, the bouncers turned their aggression toward journalists, physically attacking them and forcing them to delete footage documenting the chaos. Two major media houses reportedly suffered equipment damage, further highlighting the reckless and lawless nature of the gathering. Shockingly, there was no police p...
Read more