The World Health Organization (WHO) is actively participating in the 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) held in Munich, Germany, from July 20 to 26. This hybrid event combines in-person and virtual sessions, aiming to disseminate the latest epidemiological data, scientific insights, and normative guidelines. WHO’s involvement underscores the continuous public health challenges posed by HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which collectively result in approximately 2.5 million deaths annually. The conference serves as a platform to review progress, highlight challenges, and call for renewed political commitment to accelerate efforts against these epidemics.
Featured Session: Addressing Inequities
A key highlight of the conference is the IAS Special Session titled “Inequities Forever?” scheduled for July 23 at 13:30 CEST. This session will feature Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, alongside prominent global leaders such as former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. The discussion will focus on addressing structural inequities that perpetuate the HIV pandemic and the lessons learned from the inequitable response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The session aims to emphasize the need for comprehensive strategies that extend beyond public health interventions to tackle these deep-rooted inequities.
Key WHO Scientific and Normative Updates
Updated Guidelines on HIV Testing Services
WHO is releasing new Consolidated Guidelines on Differentiated HIV Testing Services. These guidelines advocate for expanding network-based testing to reach the partners and social contacts of individuals with HIV and STIs. Additionally, the guidelines recommend broadening the scope of self-testing to include syphilis and dual HIV/syphilis tests. These updates aim to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of HIV testing services, ensuring that more people can receive timely diagnoses and treatment.
HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Guidance
The updated HIV PEP guidelines prioritize broader access to PEP, including community-based delivery and task sharing to mitigate barriers such as stigma and ensure timely access post-exposure. New recommendations promote the integration of HIV self-testing into PEP and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) programs, as well as guidance on transitioning between PEP and PrEP. These updates aim to make PEP more accessible and user-friendly, particularly in community settings.
PrEP Implementation Tool: Provider Module
The 2024 update of the Provider Module in the WHO PrEP Implementation Tool replaces the 2017 Clinical Module. This updated module integrates recent WHO guidance on differentiated and simplified PrEP services, guidelines for key populations, and recommendations on the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA). The aim is to provide healthcare providers with the latest tools and information to effectively implement PrEP services.
Addressing Stigma and Discrimination
WHO is also releasing a new technical brief titled “Ensuring Quality and Equitable Health Care by Reducing HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination.” This brief outlines three priority areas for health facility managers and providers: improving the quality of life for people, integrating stigma reduction into facility-based approaches, and engaging structures and systems to create an enabling environment for quality care. By focusing on these areas, WHO aims to ensure that HIV-related stigma and discrimination do not hinder access to quality healthcare.
New Guidelines and Framework on STIs
Amid increasing rates of STIs and rising resistance to treatments for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, WHO has updated its recommendations for treating various STIs, including Chlamydia trachomatis and syphilis. New treatment guidelines for other STIs such as Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Candida albicans, bacterial vaginosis, and anogenital warts will also be released. Complementing these updates, WHO is introducing a new framework for monitoring STIs, which provides 11 core indicators for annual monitoring. This framework supports efforts to end STIs as a public health concern by 2030.
Mobilizing Action Against STIs
WHO is organizing a pre-conference meeting focused on mobilizing action against STIs. This meeting will highlight three critical accelerators in STI control: political commitment, innovation acceleration, and community mobilization. The discussions will cover the latest developments in STI prevention, diagnostics, treatments, vaccines, service delivery models, artificial intelligence, and antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, WHO will launch the global STI research priority agenda, calling for focused investment and innovation to address the global STI epidemic.
Mpox Survey Findings
Following a significant decline in mpox diagnoses in Europe and the Americas in late 2022, WHO conducted a retrospective survey in 23 countries in these regions. The survey, advertised through geospatial dating apps, revealed notable regional differences in vaccination rates and behavioral adaptations. These findings underscore the importance of community-led behavioral changes and naturally acquired immunity in reducing mpox transmission. WHO emphasizes the need to increase access to vaccination to protect communities in ongoing and future outbreaks.
WHO Delegation to AIDS 2024
The WHO delegation to the conference is led by several senior officials:
- Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
- Dr. Jerome Salomon, WHO Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
- Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
- Dr. Meg Doherty, Director of WHO Global HIV, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes
The 25th International AIDS Conference serves as a crucial platform for WHO to share its latest scientific, epidemiological, and normative updates. By addressing the ongoing challenges and emphasizing the need for political commitment and innovative approaches, WHO aims to accelerate global efforts towards ending the epidemics of HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs. The conference highlights the importance of addressing structural inequities and stigma to ensure that all individuals have access to quality healthcare and support.
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