Prevention and Treatment

Achieving universal access to HIV, AIDS, and healthcare services for all those who need them will require a comprehensive response, not a piecemeal one that pits prevention against treatment. Both must have equal emphases in policy-making, programming, and funding decisions; ensuring simultaneously that we prevent more infections while also ensuring the necessary treatment, care and support for those living with HIV.

In support of this approach, ICASO undertakes its own advocacy and provides substantial support to community sector organizations to mobilize and advocate. This includes a multi-year, ten-country Prevention and Treatment Advocacy Project (PTAP). Working with the ICASO Regional Secretariats, national focal point organizations have built strong partnerships and coalitions of civil society organizations for advocacy around aligning and expanding prevention and treatment programs and services.

Our own advocacy is based on the issues and evidence generated from the work of national and regional community sector organizations. This includes actively supporting the mobilization of a prevention constituency and the development of guidance on evidence-informed prevention. ICASO also advocates for the expansion of HIV testing that is voluntary, includes proper pre and post-test counselling, informed consent, with confidentiality protections. In addition, ICASO is committed to supporting the work of networks of people living with HIV and the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) to advocate for universal access to AIDS treatment.

ICASO also recognises the need to also develop better tools – drugs, diagnostics and prevention technologies - for the future, notably vaccines and microbicides. ICASO’s work focuses on supporting advocates to ensure meaningful and effective community participation in the development of AIDS vaccines and microbicides.