PLOS ONE | www.plosone.org 1
January 2014 | Volume 9 | Issue 1 | e86616
Good practice guide
Supporting community action on HIV, health and rights to end AIDS
This summary highlights the experiences, results and actions from
the implementation of the Rapid Assessment Tool for Sexual and
The tool – developed by IPPF, UNFPA, WHO, UNAIDS, GNP+, ICW and Young Positives in
2009 – supports national assessments of the bi-directional linkages
between sexu...al and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV at the policy,
systems and services levels. Each country that has rolled out the
tool has gathered and generated information that will help to
determine priorities and shape national plans and frameworks for
scaling up and intensifying linkages. Country experiences and best
practices will also inform regional and global agendas.
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National Policy on HIV and AIDS Response through Reduction of Adverse Effects of the Usage of Injecting Narcotics, Psychotropics and other addictive Substances
Providing quality, stigma-free services is essential to equitable health care for all and achieving global HIV goals and broader Sustainable Development Goals related to health. Every person has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Countries have a legal obliga...tion to develop and implement legislation and policies that guarantee universal access to quality health services and address the root causes of health disparities, including poverty, stigma and discrimination.
The health sector is uniquely placed to lead in addressing inequity, assuring safe personcentred care for everyone and improving social determinants of health by overcoming taboos and discriminatory or stigmatizing behaviours associated with HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Improving health care quality and reducing stigma work together to enhance health outcomes for people living with HIV. Together, they make health care services more accessible, trustworthy and supportive. This encourages early diagnosis, consistent treatment and improved mental well-being. Thus, people living with HIV are more likely to engage with and benefit from health care services, leading to improved overall health.
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Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 19 years of age, is a developmental stage during which many psychosocial and mental health challenges emerge. There is a well-established link between mental health and HIV outcomes. Adolescents and young adults living with HIV typically have additio...nal mental health needs linked to their experiences of living with and managing a chronic illness, along with prevailing stigma and discrimination. Mental health promotion and prevention is thus a critical priority for this group.
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This document synthesizes key elements of the World Health Organization (WHO) normative guidance on health policy and system support for community health worker (CHW) programmes and their application for HIV programmes. Building on relevant elements of HIV guidelines, tools and evidence identified b...y experts, it provides recommendations on tasks and roles that can be performed by CHWs (including for HIV), identifies the policy and system supports to optimize CHW performance, and gives examples of best practice. Its purpose is to inform the optimal design and delivery of CHW programmes targeting – either specifically or as part of a broader approach – the scale-up and sustainability of HIV services.
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In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world beyond imagination. To date, it has infected more than 135 million people, killed over 2.9 million people, and is projected to plunge up to 115 million people into extreme poverty.1 As countries have gone into lockdown, gender-based violence has incr...eased, unemployment has soared, and access to health care for the poorest and most vulnerable has been cut. COVID-19 has made people less likely to seek health care because they are afraid of getting infected with the virus. Fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 have also increased stigma and discrimination. As frontline workers without enough access to personal protective equipment (PPE) risk their lives to treat patients, the virus pushes already fragile health systems to the brink.
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Public Health & Primary Care / Research Article
Cogent Medicine (2018), 5: 1430197
Lefebvre et al., Cogent Medicine (2018), 5: 1430197 https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1430197
Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS VOL. 14 NO. 1 2017
SAHARA J. 2017; 14(1): 77–84.
Published online 2017 Sep 21. doi: 10.1080/17290376.2017.1374878
PMCID: PMC5639614
PMID: 28934916
Zanoni BC, et al. BMJ Glob Health 2016;1:e000004. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2015-000004
This publication provides guidance to governments, civil society organizations (nongovernmental organizations and community-based organizations) and other partners implementing HIV prevention, care and treatment programs with key populations. This guide is designed to assist these programs in the de...velopment of monitoring systems for frontline workers (such as peer outreach workers, staff outreach supervisors and program managers) to understand performance. It includes comprehensive tools and forms that various levels of staff can use to collect and analyze data to manage and improve a program.
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An international field study by African and German Theologicans and health workers
Investigación original / Original research
Rev Panam Salud Publica 35(1), 2014