2023 International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA)

The biennial International AIDS Conference is the premier convening for all individuals, governments, and communities working in the field of health as well as global and national leaders, people living with HIV, private sector partners and others committed to ending the epidemic and strengthening the health systems in Africa. It presents a tremendous opportunity for researchers, and clinicians worldwide to share the latest scientific advances, learn from one another’s experiences and expertise, and develop strategies for advancing all facets of the global collective efforts to end AIDS across Africa and around the world by 2030.

At ICASA 2023, EGPAF experts will share innovative and sustainable solutions designed to achieve this target of ending AIDS by 2030. Together with our peers, we are determined to see a world where children, youth, and families live free from HIV/AIDS.

Satellites

Successful Pathways for Local Government Leadership in Sustaining HIV Program and Services: Lesson Learned from the PEPFAR-funded Program

Date: Monday, December 4, 2023
Time: 11:35 AM – 12:15 PM
Location: Sapphire
Host: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
EGPAF Speakers: Frederick Haraka, Sajida Kimambo, Eliud Mwangi

Since 2004, EGPAF in Tanzania and Kenya have promoted the path to country ownership by working with regional and council health management teams to build their organizational capacity to plan, budget, and manage HIV and TB programs. In 2019, EGPAF Tanzania adopted the innovative Regional Accelerated Strategy (RAS) to work with local leadership teams to drive ownership of antiretroviral programs. Through the RAS, EGPAF works to ensure ownership, accountability, and a sustainable path to country ownership.

This session will start with a short presentation of the RAS strategy, followed by a panel of experts from implementing partners, the Office of Global AIDS Coordinator at the U.S Department of State, and partner governments, who will share their experiences on the pathway to sustainability, discussing what has worked, the challenges, and how to sustain health programs over time.
Related Resources: Regional Acceleration Strategy Model White Paper

Accelerating Access to Better Medicines for Children: Ensuring Successful Introduction of pALD and Sustainability of pDTG

Date: Monday, December 4, 2023
Time: 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Diamond A&B.
Host: Medicines Patent Pool and GAP-f partners
EGPAF Speakers: Patricia Fassinou, Anja Giphart

The lack of access to paediatric formulations of antiretroviral medicine is putting children’s lives at risk, hindering the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). In 2022, about 43% of the 1.5 million children (aged 0–14) around the world living with HIV did not receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and for children who did receive it, it often came too late. Viral load suppression among children living with HIV was only approximately 81% compared to 93% of adults in 2022, according to the 2023 UNAIDS report.

Dolutegravir (DTG)-based HIV treatment regimens are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for children living with HIV (CLHIV) who weigh at least 3 kg. In 2020, the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) granted tentative approval of paediatric DTG 10 mg scored, dispersible tablets (pDTG) for CLHIV weighing a minimum of 3 kg and at least four weeks of age. In early 2021, national HIV programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) began to transition CLHIV to pDTG. pDTG is administered along with optimized backbone antiretrovirals (ARVs) such as abacavir/ lamivudine 120/60 mg scored dispersible tablets (pABC/3TC) per the WHO’s 2021 Consolidated HIV Guidelines.

A new dispersible fixed-dose combination (FDC) of abacavir, lamivudine, and dolutegravir 60/30/5 mg (pALD) will further improve treatment delivery by providing the WHO-recommended first-line antiretroviral regimen in one convenient tablet. In 2022, the US FDA approved ViiV Healthcare’s FDC of pALD for CLHIV 10 kg to 24.9 kg, and in June 2023, the indication was extended to infants aged at least 3 months and weighing at least 6 kg. However, it is expected that separate pABC/3TC and pDTG tablets will still be used for children in the 3 to 5.9 kg weight band, at least for the time being.

Generic formulations of ABC/3TC/DTG dispersible tablet obtained the US tentative approval in August 2023.

To ensure better health outcomes for children, country programs need to be prepared for rollout of new and improved paediatric formulations as they become available on the market. The objective of this GAP-f partner session is to increase awareness of paediatric ARV optimization and to support in-country planning processes for the introduction of pALD, while sustaining the delivery of pDTG for children in the lower weight bands.

The specific objectives for the session include:

Promote increased access to better ARV formulations for children

Share information and experiences from Ministries of Health, civil society, donors, and technical partners that will guide successful introduction of pALD, including forecasting, procurement, supply and delivery, and for the sustainability of the delivery of pDTG in young children in lowest weight band

Identify opportunities for collaborations, coordination, and technical support for the introduction of pALD and sustainable access to better paediatric ARV formulations.

Related Resources: Paediatric Abacavir/Lamivudine/ Dolutegravir (pALD) Fixed-Dose Combination: Introduction and Rollout Planning Considerations for National Programmes

Making it Last Longer: Considerations for HIV Treatment Optimization for Children

Date: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Time: 12:05 PM – 12:50 PM
Location: VIP Lounge
EGPAF Speaker: Natella Rakhmanina

Session Overview TBA

Related Resources: Guidance and Tools to Strengthen Pharmacovigilance for Pediatric Medicines, with a Focus on New Antiretroviral Treatment Regimens in Resource-Limited Settings

Accelerating the Global Alliance Country Action Plans to End AIDS in Children: From Political Commitment to Strategic Partnerships and Meaningful Community Engagement

Date: Thursday, December 7, 2023
Time: 12:05 PM – 12:50 PM
Location: Jacaranda 1 2 3
Host: UNAIDS
EGPAF Speaker: Martha Mukaminega

Session Overview TBA

Driving Community Responses through Partnerships: Learnings from Implementation

Date: Thursday, December 7, 2023
Time: 8:45 AM – 9:30 AM
Location: Diamond 1 &2
Host: ViiV Heathcare, EGPAF, PATA, UNICEF and Aidsfonds
EGPAF Speaker: Fatima Tsiouris

Strengthened partnerships and collaborations between government, health care providers, implementing partners, civil society, and other community actors that places communities at the centre, are critical for intensified efforts to reach all children and achieve the Global Alliance agenda to end AIDS in children by 2030. The Breakthrough Partnership is a collaborative approach between key strategic partners UNICEF, EGPAF, Aidsfonds and PATA brought together by ViiV Healthcare Positive Action, to leverage on one another’s strengths and experience. The purpose of the satellite session is to share learnings from the partnership and create a platform for dialogue highlighting the importance of partnerships and collaboration in driving a community response between key partners working in the paediatric HIV response across 3 countries: Uganda, Mozambique, and Nigeria.

Posters

Optimizing HIV Care: Targeted Strategies to Mitigate ART Drop-Out in Malawi

Author: Thulani Maphosa

High Viral Load Cascade in Eleven Sub-Saharan African Countries: Increased Attention to Services for Clients Failing Treatment is Needed

Author: Reuben Musarandega

Collaborative Continuous Quality Improvement Approach to Enhance Early Infant Diagnosis: Multi-country Secondary Analysis

Author: Emile Shu Nforbih

EGPAF’s Experience Bolstering Quality Improvement Capacity in National HIV/AIDS Programs Across 12 cCountries: 9 Capacity Building Strategies

Author: Nimasha Fernando

Improving Advanced HIV Disease Screening in Malawi: Implementation Strategies and Outcome Evaluation

Author: Rosalia Dambe, Thulani Maphosa

Unveiling the Journey: A Decade of Survival – Long-term Mortality Among HIV-Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy in Malawi (2011-2021)

Author: Geoffrey Singini, Thulani Maphosa

COVID-19 Integrated Services in HIV, TB and MNCH Clinics and Timely Data Use: Lessons Learned from the Catalyzing COVID-19 Action Project

Author: Nelia Hoffman