GEC convenes HIV policy roundtable at German Parliament

The Global Equality Caucus (GEC) has convened a policy roundtable focused on HIV healthcare, with civil society representatives and community experts joining legislators at the Bundestag (German Parliament) for a special session hosted by Maik Brückner MdB.

The roundtable, Resilience in the HIV Response: From Innovation to Impact, took place on the sidelines of the World Health Summit (11-13 October), with numerous health experts, policymakers and world leaders visiting Berlin to shape global policy on health.

The Bundestag session on 12 October, held to bring attention to the need for sustained political will and international cooperation to end the HIV epidemic, welcomed participants from UNAIDS, UNDP, The Global Fund, Frontline AIDS, the Robert Carr Fund, as well as German civil society groups, clinical organisations and patient community groups.

Moderated by GEC Chair Nick Herbert, the discussion looked at how new innovations to address the HIV epidemic can reach under-served communities, both in Germany and internationally. Focus areas included equitable access to long-acting injectable PrEP, the effectiveness of opt-out HIV testing, and political action to secure sustainable funding as donor countries scale back their commitments to epidemic response.

The insights gathered at the roundtable will help inform GEC’s engagement with legislators on the topic as we work with partners to drive political action to meet global HIV targets, particularly as we step up advocacy to ensure G20 countries are committing to inclusive laws and accessible healthcare.

We would like to thank Gilead Sciences for supporting the roundtable.