AIDS Prevention Technical Meeting - Global

A detailed description of the ABC approach is available on the USAID site. Attendees shared findings related to programmes and projects that are based on this approach. Specifically, the first panel, consisting of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and other scientists from Africa, Europe, and the U.S., reviewed the data from those developing countries where HIV has been significantly reduced. They identified the following pattern: in countries like Thailand, where prevalence is lower but more highly concentrated, condom promotion to sex worker establishments has often been successful. In high-prevalence epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, success has often resulted from reduction in multiple partnering trends, delay of sexual onset by youth, and increased condom use for non-regular partners.

The second panel concentrated on the programmatic aspects of this data, including the importance of focusing on youth, the key role of religious and other community-based organisations, and the socio-political and economic empowerment of women and girls. The afternoon was devoted to smaller group discussions of key areas of concern, such as how to further analyse existing data and how to promote all three areas (A, B, and C) so as to maximise impact.

To download specific papers from the meeting, click here.

HIV/AIDS.