Objective: to increase access to care, support and treatment for people living with and support for those affected by HIV
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is increasingly effective and is having a highly beneficial impact on people living with HIV.
With this development comes a growing demand for appropriate support and care programmes, in order to ensure people living with HIV have comprehensive treatment and care while living longer and more productive lives.
However much is still to be done: universal antiretroviral provision is a continuing challenge, which should be addressed with a comprehensive treatment, care and support programme to support all people affected by HIV.
A continuing characteristic of the HIV epidemic is its prevalence in developing regions and using existing health service infrastructure avoids the need for building new facilities.
Offering treatment and care through sexual and reproductive health (SRH) clinics could act as a way to reduce stigma.
Many people may be discouraged from visiting stand-alone HIV clinics for fear of being stigmatized or discriminated against by their communities.
There is often more confidentiality in settings where other, non-related services are provided, which encourages individuals to seek out treatment and care for HIV.
IPPF Member Associations are working towards providing comprehensive care by integrating HIV treatment and support into a broader sexual and reproductive health (SRH) response.
Recent innovations in integration have focused on the delivery of antiretroviral treatment and opportunistic illness management through existing SRH infrastructure, which is crucial to ensure universal access to necessary medications.
Integrated treatment, care and support covers a much wider variety of programmatic activities. It is becoming increasingly important to provide nutritional support, adherence counselling, links with income generation and micro-financing activities, palliative care and psychosocial support.
Whether through innovative strategies to provide ART, referral mechanisms for rural clients, or management of sexually transmitted infections and opportunistic illnesses, IPPF gives individuals access to the comprehensive and integrated HIV care services they need to have a healthy sexual and reproductive life.