AFR/RC63/R7 6 September 2013
REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA Sixty-third session Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, 2–6 September, 2013 RESOLUTION
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
THE WHO CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING HIV INFECTION; RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH — IMPLICATIONS FOR THE AFRICAN REGION (Document AFR/RC63/12)
The Regional Committee, Recalling Resolution AFR/RC56/R3 on HIV Prevention in the African Region: A Strategy for Renewal and Acceleration; the 2006 Abuja Call for accelerated action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria services and Resolution AFR/RC62/R2 on HIV/AIDS: Strategy for the African Region; Recognizing the progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including the more than 7.5 million people in the African Region accessing HIV/AIDS treatment by the end of 2012, resulting in a decline in AIDS-related deaths especially in Eastern and Southern Africa; Cognizant that the progress was due to intensification of the national HIV/AIDS response by governments and provision of financial and technical support by partners; Recalling that in June 2013, WHO published new recommendations on the use of ARVs — The Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV/AIDS Infection; Recommendations for a Public Health Approach, June 2013, that promote, among other things, earlier initiation of ART and further simplification of ART regimens; Aware that full implementation of the 2013 WHO antiretroviral treatment guidelines will lead to an additional number of people requiring ART, with health systems implications; Concerned that only 28% of HIV-infected children eligible for ART are on treatment; Concerned that more than half of the people living with HIV in the African Region do not know their HIV status and that many people start treatment when they are already significantly immunocompromised;
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Mindful of the need to provide guidance for the implementation of the 2013 WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of ARVs in the African Region, while taking into account the regional specificities and implications; 1. ADOPTS Document AFR/RC63/12 entitled The WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection; recommendations for a public health approach — implications for the African Region; 2. URGES Member States: (a) to adapt their national antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines and related service delivery tools to the new WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of ARVs according to the specific context of each country; (b) to increase investment in the HIV response by mobilizing adequate domestic resources including intensifying efforts to achieve the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15% of national budgets to the health sector, and actively advocating for and seeking additional international funding from sources such as multilateral and bilateral agencies; (c) to address the human resource implications of implementing the new ART guidelines including organizing refresher training courses, mentoring and supervising health care providers, adopting task-sharing policies, and strengthening HIV/AIDS care and treatment in existing pre-service courses in line with country policies; (d) to improve procurement and supply of drugs and other commodities including updating their national essential medicines lists to include the newly recommended ARV regimens, diagnostics and commodities; (e) to scale up early infant diagnosis (EID) services and interventions in order to increase access and coverage of ART for children; (f) to integrate and link HIV services with sexual and reproductive health, child health, nutrition and TB services and other related services at different levels of the health system and to decentralize HIV services in order to increase opportunities for initiating ART; (g) to promote awareness and uptake of HIV testing in the general population, key population groups and among all care seekers and ensure that all HIV-positive individuals are identified and enrolled in early treatment and care; (h) to improve access to diagnostics and viral load testing through the use of point-of-care technologies; 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to provide leadership in WHO normative guidance and technical support to Member States for the adoption and adaptation of the new WHO consolidated guidelines on ARVs; (b) to engage with Member States and partners and advocate for adequate funding for WHO technical assistance related to the roll-out of the new WHO consolidated guidelines on ARVs; (c) to advocate with partners and donors for the replenishment of the Global Fund; (d) to report to the Sixty-fifth session of the Regional Committee on the progress made in the implementation of this resolution.
AFR/RC63/R7 6 September 2013 REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA Sixty-third session Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, 2–6 September, 2013 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH RESOLUTION THE WHO CONSOLIDATED GUIDELINES ON THE USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING HIV INFECTION; RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH — IMPLICATIONS FOR THE AFRICAN REGION (Document AFR/RC63/12) The Regional Committee, Recalling Resolution AFR/RC56/R3 on HIV Prevention in the African Region: A Strategy for Renewal and Acceleration; the 2006 Abuja Call for accelerated action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria services and Resolution AFR/RC62/R2 on HIV/AIDS: Strategy for the African Region; Recognizing the progress made in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including the more than 7.5 million people in the African Region accessing HIV/AIDS treatment by the end of 2012, resulting in a decline in AIDS-related deaths especially in Eastern and Southern Africa; Cognizant that the progress was due to intensification of the national HIV/AIDS response by governments and provision of financial and technical support by partners; Recalling that in June 2013, WHO published new recommendations on the use of ARVs — The Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV/AIDS Infection; Recommendations for a Public Health Approach, June 2013, that promote, among other things, earlier initiation of ART and further simplification of ART regimens; Aware that full implementation of the 2013 WHO antiretroviral treatment guidelines will lead to an additional number of people requiring ART, with health systems implications; Concerned that only 28% of HIV-infected children eligible for ART are on treatment; Concerned that more than half of the people living with HIV in the African Region do not know their HIV status and that many people start treatment when they are already significantly immunocompromised; AFR/RC63/R7 Page 2 Mindful of the need to provide guidance for the implementation of the 2013 WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of ARVs in the African Region, while taking into account the regional specificities and implications; 1. ADOPTS Document AFR/RC63/12 entitled The WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection; recommendations for a public health approach — implications for the African Region; 2. URGES Member States: (a) to adapt their national antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines and related service delivery tools to the new WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of ARVs according to the specific context of each country; (b) to increase investment in the HIV response by mobilizing adequate domestic resources including intensifying efforts to achieve the Abuja Declaration target of allocating 15% of national budgets to the health sector, and actively advocating for and seeking additional international funding from sources such as multilateral and bilateral agencies; (c) to address the human resource implications of implementing the new ART guidelines including organizing refresher training courses, mentoring and supervising health care providers, adopting task-sharing policies, and strengthening HIV/AIDS care and treatment in existing pre-service courses in line with country policies; (d) to improve procurement and supply of drugs and other commodities including updating their national essential medicines lists to include the newly recommended ARV regimens, diagnostics and commodities; (e) to scale up early infant diagnosis (EID) services and interventions in order to increase access and coverage of ART for children; (f) to integrate and link HIV services with sexual and reproductive health, child health, nutrition and TB services and other related services at different levels of the health system and to decentralize HIV services in order to increase opportunities for initiating ART; (g) to promote awareness and uptake of HIV testing in the general population, key population groups and among all care seekers and ensure that all HIV-positive individuals are identified and enrolled in early treatment and care; (h) to improve access to diagnostics and viral load testing through the use of point-of-care technologies; 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to provide leadership in WHO normative guidance and technical support to Member States for the adoption and adaptation of the new WHO consolidated guidelines on ARVs; (b) to engage with Member States and partners and advocate for adequate funding for WHO technical assistance related to the roll-out of the new WHO consolidated guidelines on ARVs; (c) to advocate with partners and donors for the replenishment of the Global Fund; (d) to report to the Sixty-fifth session of the Regional Committee on the progress made in the implementation of this resolution.