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In August 2018, AlianzaLiderazgoenPositivosubmitted a financing proposal to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It was accepted on October 30^th, 2018 for the total amount allocated for the multicountry priority area “HIV: Sustainability of services for key populations in the Latin American region.”

Source: LAC Representation – Global Fund

The main specific objectives of the proposal are the mobilization of resources through the increase of domestic funding for interventions aimed at people with HIV–including key subpopulations with HIV–and the mobilization of resources for organizations of people with HIV; the promotion of the institutionalization of political, technical and financial strategies to reduce inequalities in access to comprehensive health services for people with HIV in the Latin American region, and the promotion of the use of strategic information on people with HIV–including key subpopulations with HIV–for decision-making processes.

Priority countries where all interventions will be carried out are Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. Countries where differentiated actions will be carried out above the allocated amount are also included. They are Nicaragua and Venezuela. Additionally, in a series of countries not eligible for Global Fund funding (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay), funds to coordinate actions are expected.

Given that the proposal will only address the needs of people with HIV in subpopulations of gay men and other men who have sex with men, trans women, female sex workers, women with HIV, young populations with HIV (between 15 and 24 years of age) and indigenous and afro-descendant populations, as part of their observations, the Global Fund’s Technical Review Panel (TRP) and Grant Review Committee recommended increasing the proposal above the allocated amount of USD 4.6 million to broaden its scope so that it reaches key populations of men who have sex with men, trans women, female sex workers and people deprived of liberty and drug users. In addition, the TRP made a series of additional recommendations for the proposal’s review, among which the most relevant ones are related to the mobilization of additional resources and the improvement of practices to promote the interventions’ sustainability.

Based on the above, AlianzaLiderazgoenPositivo, together with Principal Recipient HIVOS, organized a regional dialog engaging all sectors, following the Global Fund’s recommendation. This dialogue was held in the city of Panama from February 20^th to 22^nd, 2019. Participants included regional networks of key populations and regional and international actors in the response to HIV, with the Global Fund’s support. The aim was to agree on the modifications to the proposal’s content following TRP’s recommendations. According to guidelines of the Global Fund, the grant must be signed before December 31^st, 2019. This is why negotiations between the Global Fund, HIVOS and AlianzaLiderazgoenPositivo began in January 2019, and a dialogue process with other networks representing key populations was developed in order to strengthen the proposal approved.

Pablo Montoya, GCTH Executive Secretary, participated in the meeting. It is important to note that within the framework of the meeting, networks signed a political agreement to adjust the proposal in order to achieve the sustainability of services aimed at key populations in Latin America. In addition, this agreement ratifies the 8 points established in the political agreement of November 19^th, 2017, signed in San José de Costa Rica by the following networks:

1. Gay Latino
2. ICW Latina: International Positive Women Community
3. ITPC / LATCA: International Treatment Preparedness Coalition / Latin America and Caribbean
4. J + LAC: Latin American and Caribbean Network of Youth with HIV
5. LANPUD: Latin American and Caribbean Network of People Who Use Drugs
6. MLCM +: Latin American and Caribbean Movement of Positive Women
7. REDCA +: Central American Network of People with HIV
8. REDLA +: Latin American Network of People with HIV
9. REDLACTRANS: Latin American and Caribbean Network of Trans People
10. RedTrasex: Network of Female Sex Workers from Latin America and the Caribbean

We congratulate all networks for this priceless effort, especially REDCA+, which represents people with HIV within the RCM, where it holds the HIV Vice Chair.
 

There is still a long way to go in building consensus among networks, mainly with respect to prioritizing actions and the following steps to be taken.
 

To read the full statement, please click on the following link:

Image: courtesy ofREDLA+