Ending the HIV epidemic isn’t a question of if, but when

When it comes to the HIV epidemic, there’s an inspiring network of researchers, activists, and changemakers working in unison to transform the lives of those living with HIV and those who could benefit from prevention. Innovating solutions to treat HIV and to help people protect themselves and others is only possible by first understanding the needs of those impacted. Creating sustainable solutions to end the HIV epidemic today — such as developing treatments, improving access to care, and reducing the stigma — starts from a place of connection.

The HIV community is incredibly diverse, not just in terms of their roles, but also their backgrounds, ages, genders, ethnicities, and geographies. Despite their differences, what unites each member of this community is an unwavering commitment to ensure HIV remains a public health priority. Together, they are creating a better tomorrow.

In honor of World AIDS Day — an annual moment where the community comes together to not only celebrate progress made but also to shine a light on how much there is still to do before we can declare HIV “over” — a group across the community joined together to discuss the state of the epidemic and priority areas in a roundtable convened by ViiV Healthcare and hosted by Sibulele Sibaca, a UNICEF Youth Advocate.

“What’s really important, that’s not done enough, is these collaborations where people from different countries with different ideas and different experiences [gather],” said one member of the panel, Rebecca Tallon de Havilland. “But they all boil down to this same thing: stigma, HIV, how to disclose, and how to get tested.”

The panel represented the rich tapestry of people that make up the HIV community and together they discussed their personal experiences with HIV:

Santos, who has 20 years of experience in HIV care, illustrated how far the movement to end HIV has come by sharing the most emotional moment in her career. “When our first child that was born with HIV had her first born son without HIV, this was so emotional for all of us,“ said Santos. This success marks decades of collaboration between community partners including medical researchers, policy makers, and pharmaceutical companies such as ViiV Healthcare, the only pharmaceutical company 100% dedicated to HIV.

By and large, life with HIV has changed remarkably since it first emerged in the 1980s. Most notable is U=U, or undetectable equals untransmittable. This powerful message is one of hope. It means that if a person living with HIV has an undetectable viral load and is taking effective treatment, they cannot pass on HIV to another person.

While there is still much more that needs to be done, the focused efforts of the broader HIV community have positively impacted the lives of those living with HIV. For example, during the panel, Garza shared that though receiving his diagnosis critically impacted his wellbeing, he was able to shift his attitude through community care, effective treatment, and personal development. He moved away from feelings of victimhood to an attitude of empowerment just by talking openly about what he was going through. “There’s a very strong connection between alcohol and drug abuse and living with HIV. And unless I am willing to just be vulnerable and open, open up and share what got me there and how it happened, then I’m not giving anybody else permission to do the same thing,” said Garza. “As a community, I need to be able to sit in front of you and go, ‘This is my story.’”

Although a number of factors including religion, social norms, and culture prevent some people from openly discussing HIV, it’s the only way to reduce the stigma surrounding it. Talking about the things involved in their lived experiences, such as alcohol, sex, and drugs, will not cause “lighting to come down,” Garza said. In fact, vulnerability — like the kind Garza and the other members of the panel displayed — is pivotal to strengthening the HIV community as a whole.

While the panel discussion highlighted the importance of prevention through protecting yourself and others, addressing the real issues people deal with when they receive a positive diagnosis is critical. The global HIV community has achieved triumphs that make living a full and normal life with HIV (while on effective treatment) easier now than ever before, but they only arrived at this point through actively listening to — and working with — those who are most affected by it. Continuing to focus on not only the things that unite the community, but also offering tailored programs, as well, will be vital to end the epidemic. “A one-size-fits-all [approach] is overlooking unique barriers,” said Doan. “The epidemic affects different people in different ways.” HIV care should reflect that.

“This conversation has . . . really reiterated the power of our collective knowledge and experiences,” said Piérre. “How far we’ve come . . . is how far we can go to make HIV history, [with] cross-connection, alignment, allyship, awareness, empathy, and ultimately action.”

Watch the roundtable discussion below