Published on 20/09/2024
The US has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Tanzania in its fight against HIV, with an increased focus on sustainability and integrating HIV services into national systems.
Ahead of the Youth Congress in Zanzibar, which will be part of the Tanzania Health Summit, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) country director for Tanzania, Jessica Greene, emphasised the US government’s dedication to ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030.
“PEPFAR is not going away, but it is shifting strategically to focus on sustainable services integrated into national systems,” said Ms. Greene in an emailed response.
“This means working closely with the Tanzanian government, civil society, and local partners to maintain life-saving treatments and sustain the progress Tanzania has made in addressing the HIV epidemic.”
Ms Greene acknowledged Tanzania’s achievements over the past two decades.
“Tanzania has made remarkable strides in fighting HIV. Today, nearly 1.5 million people are receiving treatment, compared to just 1,000 in 2003, and both new infections and AIDS-related deaths have significantly declined,” she noted.
Since its launch in 2003, PEPFAR has played a pivotal role in these achievements, initially established as an emergency response to the HIV crisis. However, as Ms Greene noted, HIV is no longer the same emergency it was all those years ago.
She emphasised the need to address remaining gaps, particularly in reaching underserved populations such as youth and men.
“The era of one-size-fits-all programming is over. We now need to leverage data and innovative approaches to reach those who are not readily accessing services,” she added.
Tanzania is on the brink of achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which aim for 95 percent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed to be on antiretroviral treatment (ARVs), and 95 percent of those treated to achieve viral suppression.
“We must ensure no one is left behind,” Ms Greene cautioned. She also praised the DREAMS initiative, launched in 2014, which focusses on reducing HIV rates among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).
Each year, the DREAMS programme serves around 200,000 AGYW in Tanzania, offering comprehensive services such as health education, HIV testing, and economic empowerment opportunities.
This year, PEPFAR expanded the DREAMS initiative in collaboration with the Tanzanian government through “Enabling DREAMS,” now extending services to adolescent boys and young men as well.
The upcoming Youth Congress aims to provide a platform for young people to lead discussions on the future of health services.
