HIV/AIDS

An AIDS-free world requires resilient and sustainable pharmaceutical systems that ensure universal access to the best available diagnostic, preventive, and treatment tools.

Extraordinary achievements have been made in the global HIV response over the past 15 years. Since 2010, the number of new HIV/AIDS infections has dropped by 16%; HIV-related deaths have been cut by 43%; and, by 2017, more than 21.7 million people were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Following on this progress, the international community has committed to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030—an ambitious target for the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.

The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is focusing on sustainable control of the HIV epidemic and on addressing ART coverage gaps in key populations to achieve better health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS. To achieve these goals, sustainable and resilient pharmaceutical systems must be in place to ensure universal access to efficacious and cost-effective diagnostic, preventive, and treatment tools.

MTaPS assists countries in implementing the strategic directions of the global strategy on HIV, 2016–2021:

• Information for focused action (knowing the epidemic and the response—who and where)
• Interventions for impact (covering the range of services needed, including pharmaceutical service delivery)
• Delivering for equity (covering the populations in need of services)
• Innovation for acceleration (looking towards the future)

MTaPS helps countries:

• Roll out new treatment guidelines, including national strategies for the rapid adoption, introduction, and implementation of new ART regimens
• Establish functional early warning systems and dashboards for detection and prevention of stock-outs, overstock, and wastage of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines and supplies
• Strengthen the supply chain at the national and subnational levels
• Support national pharmaceutical health information systems, including:
  • Improving information for decision making on HIV program management, patient care, and access to diagnostics and medicines through the availability and interoperability of electronic tools, data warehousing, and analytics
  • Rolling out existing open-source electronic platforms, including the Electronic Dispensing Tool (EDT), RxSolution, and Quantimed for forecasting of ARV supplies
• Build capacity for the development of national program monitoring systems to implement uninterrupted HIV treatment services
• Support Global Fund programs and activities and strengthen coordination of the delivery of HIV/AIDS services
• Improve direct service and provide technical support to ART sites on enhancing adherence and retention of patients on ART
• Improve patient safety by introducing MTaPS-developed electronic active pharmacovigilance tools and building capacity for timely management of adverse events
• Improve ART for pregnant women and support for clinic personnel, especially in areas related to pharmaceutical service delivery and management of ARVs and essential medicines