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By Annonciata Byukusenge
More than 3,000 participants from over 100 countries have gathered in Kigali for the international conference on HIV (IAS2025), where they are discussing strategies to combat the virus.
This conference comes nearly five years after the United States of America announced it was ending its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Janet Bhila from Zimbabwe reminded participants at IAS2025 that even before foreign aid existed, health-related organizations were the ones providing support.
She added, “But in today’s struggling economic climate, partnership and dedication alone are not enough to sustain HIV services.
Sustainable investment in community systems is essential to ensure that services for people living with HIV remain accessible and of high quality.”
Dr. Mina Nakawuka, an official in Uganda’s Ministry of Health responsible for adult HIV care, noted that integrating HIV services is still a topic of debate in some health institutions, particularly those like the Smile Foundation.
She mentioned that stigma against people living with HIV in Uganda has significantly decreased.
“This is a positive step toward a better future,” she said.
Dr. Ntombifikile Nokwethemba Mtshali, Executive Director of the organization Shout It Now, and Paul Postane, Director of the HIV Response Program in South Africa, expressed their appreciation for attending the international HIV conference.
They believe the conference offers a solution in the fight against HIV.
Among the key topics discussed at the conference was the need to rethink prevention strategies and improve sustainable access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a medication that helps prevent HIV, especially as funding remains unpredictable.
IAS leadership emphasized that amid changing financial support, continued dialogue is crucial to explore ways to prevent HIV and maintain access to life-saving prevention services such as PrEP.
They highlighted that across various regions, ideas and strategies are being proposed to find lasting solutions for maintaining PrEP as a reliable HIV prevention method.
Nathan Ford, a staff member at WHO, noted that integrating services has long been a topic of discussion.
He said, “The current goal should be to modernize the integration of effective services in a way that strengthens health systems without compromising service quality. It should be based on lessons learned from countries themselves, so that WHO guidelines are grounded in proven practices.”
The international conference on HIV is expected to conclude on July 17, 2025.
