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HIV/AIDS axis moves towards regional articulation

HIV/AIDS axis moves towards regional articulation

The National HIV/AIDS Programs of the Quito Process member countries are making an important programmatic effort to include Venezuelan refugees and migrants in their national responses.

By Isadora Zoni

The thematic axis of HIV/AIDS, in a consultation meeting with member countries, sought to draw synergies between the 2021 Work Plan of the Horizontal Technical Cooperation Group (GCTH) and the VII Declaration of the Quito Process in the Lima Chapter. 

The central objective is, based on this programmatic effort, to structure proposals to be presented to the Group of Friends of the Quito Process in the search for the inclusion of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the plans already in place in the region. 

From this exercise, several potential actions were identified such as  the development of sentinel surveillance studies or rapid diagnostics on the situation of migrant and refugee people; design of an information package that allows migrants and refugees access to health systems; holding a face-to-face technical workshop of the countries for the development of a proposal for standardization of antiretroviral therapy for each country; establishment of digital reporting mechanisms at the regional level that allows for monitoring of human rights violations in the region; holding a regional campaign against stigma and discrimination; and design of a regional sensitivity plan for health workers to decrease stigma and discrimination.