Avac Event

Pandemic Accord Briefing for Civil Society & Community Partners

The Pandemic Accord negotiations are ongoing, and should come to fruition next year. What do they mean for your work, your country, and the future of global health?

On Tuesday, November 21, 8:00 to 9:30 AM EST / 2:00 to 3:30 PM CEST, advocates came together to discuss two years of talks and what’s next to progress global health equity.

Avac Event

Africa Health R&D Week

Save the Date: Tuesday, November 21 to Friday, November 24

Africa Health R&D Week 2023 is designed to recognize achievements and step up advocacy for sustainable financing of health R&D through domestic resource mobilization (DRM) in Africa.

Inaugurated in 2022, the Africa Health R&D Week is a continental movement that builds bridges between researchers, policy makers, regulators, civil society advocates and community members committed to Africa’s health transformation through health R&D, and innovation. 

This year the four-day virtual forum focuses on the need for sustainable support for vaccine development and manufacturing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM). The 2023 edition will leverage South-South learning, by eliciting/ linking lessons and experiences from Asia and Africa.

Hosted by IAVI, in partnership with  AVAC under the USAID-funded Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR), the forum will discuss:

Day 1 – The aspirations, the reality and the gaps in Vaccine Manufacturing in LMICs (underscoring Africa)

Day 2 – African Countries contribution to the continental vision (Case studies of building manufacturing capacity) 

Day 3 – Industry perspectives from Africa and Asia: Opportunities and challenges, and addressing the issue  of sustainability 

Day 4 – Advocates workshop to develop an advocacy roadmap to champion vaccine manufacturing

Avac Event

PrEP Resources Showcase

Monday, November 20, 8:00 to 9:30 AM ET

This dynamic, workshop-style showcase was the first of a series that featured multimedia presentations that took participants through key PrEP resources including: A toolkit to ensure programs related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV prevention are well designed to reach and support adolescent girls and young women. Comprehensive databases for tracking PrEP uptake, Implementation research and other critical data by product, country, and population.  

Small groups had opportunities to take deep dives into each of the above resources, and explore how they might use these in their work. Additionally, participants provided input on what resources are still needed, collaborate on how to improve and disseminate what exists, and support the development of evidence and networks to advance HIV prevention.

Global PrEP Tracker video / Integrated Study Dashboard video / Breaking the Cycle Toolkit video

Avac Event

Spotlight on New PrEP Tools and Data: From R&D to access

Tuesday, November 28

Between the recent accelerated growth in global PrEP initiations, and the introduction of new PrEP products like cabotegravir and the dapivirine vaginal ring, the field of PrEP data has never been more exciting or more complex. Staying on top of the latest advances is key for advocates, researchers, funders, and others working in HIV prevention to do their job effectively—but how can you navigate the vast amount of PrEP data online? AVAC, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), and Unitaid presented information on three important online PrEP resources and understand how they can support and enhance your work:

  • PrEPWatch.org: the one stop shop for PrEP resources to support introduction and scale-up, including the PrEPTracker, the only place to find information on global PrEP initiations online
  • Long Acting Therapeutics Patents and Licenses Database (LAPaL): LAPaL is the go-to resource to learn about long-acting therapeutics, their patent landscape, development and regulatory status
  • Access to Medicines Tracker: the go-to place for quarterly-updated insights on regulatory filings, regulatory approvals, and product supplies of MPP-licensed generic medicines at the country level.

Recording / Slides

Avac Event

Practicality over Panic: What happens if PEPFAR isn’t reauthorized?

Thursday, October 26 at 11:00 AM ET
This discussion will offer a candid assessment of the current landscape, including the implications for work on the ground. It is intended to redirect anxiety into action and provide a reality check: PEPFAR is not going anywhere any time soon.
MODERATOR: Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, Global Health Council
SPEAKERS:
Jen Kates, Kaiser Family Foundation
Katie Coester, Global AIDS Policy Partnership, EGPAF
Mark Lagon, Friends of the Global Fight
Richard Muko, AVAC

Avac Event

Pioneering Self-care Solutions to Drive Access to HIV Prevention and Family Planning


Thursday, November 9, at 8:00 AM ET

This session will amplify lessons from five self-care interventions in FP and HIV prevention — DMPA-SC, the Caya Diaphragm, the Dual Prevention Pill, HIV self-testing, and Triggerise, an mHealth platform – to highlight successful self-care strategies across settings and discuss the future of self-care in SRH.

SPEAKERS

  • George William Barigye, Regional Technical Advisor- Anglophone countries, Injectables Access Collaborative, PATH Uganda 
  • Alexandra Angel, Technical Advisor, Sexual and Reproductive Health, PSI
  • Charlotte Pahe, Director, Reproductive Health/Integrated Portfolio, PS Kenya
  • Serah Malaba, Chief Impact Officer, Triggerise
  • Kate Segal, Senior Program Manager, Product Introduction and Access, AVAC

MODERATED BY

  • Anna Rammou, Interim Manager, SRHR Access, CIFF
  • Wawira Nyagah, Director of Product Introduction and Access, AVAC
  • Mitchell Warren, Executive Director, AVAC

This session is part of the 2023 Self-Care Learning and Discovery Series. Learn more about the Discovery Series here.

Avac Event

HPTN 096: Building Equity Through Advocacy – An Integrated, Status-Neutral Approach for Ending the Epidemic Among Black Gay Men in the South

November 15, 10:00 to 11:30 AM ET

The Choice Agenda and partners hosted a fascinating discussion about a novel, much-needed HIV prevention research study – HPTN 096 on November 15. Currently in the field, the study addresses social, structural, institutional, and behavioral barriers to HIV prevention and care. Visit the study website here.

Speakers (list in formation):

Prof. LaRon E. Nelson. Yale School of Nursing; HPTN 096 Protocol Co-Chair
Christopher Hucks-Ortiz, HPTN Black Caucus Chair
Dr. Cedric Pulliam, HPTN 096 Community Strategy Group
Abraham Johnson, HPTN 096 Research Advisor

Moderators:
Riko Boone, Treatment Action Group
John Meade, AVAC

Co-sponsored by PrEP in Black America and Federal AIDS Policy Partnership Research Working Group

Recording / Slides / Resources

Avac Event

Boo, Syphilis is Really Back!

Tuesday, October 31, 1:00 to 2:00 PM ET

Syphilis rates have increased drastically in recent years. Learn how others are addressing these rising rates and the techniques clinicians are using to detect, treat, and prevent infections.

Co-hosted with NACCHO and NNPTC.

Webinar Recording / Kimberly A Stanford Slides / Anne Rompalo Slides / Irene Stafford Slides

Avac Event

Results from STI Landscaping Analyses in East and Southern Africa—Part 2

Thursday, November 9 at 8:00 AM ET

Hear results from STI landscaping projects conducted in seven different countries from East and Southern Africa that explored needs for STI vaccines and diagnostics.

Recording / Lesotho Network of AIDS Service Organizations (LENASO) Slides / HIV Survivors and Partners Network (HIVSPN) Slides / Pangaea Zimbabwe AIDS Trust (PZAT) Slides / Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (NRHS) Slides

Avac Event

Results from STI Landscaping Analyses in East and Southern Africa—Part 1

Tuesday, November 7 at 9:00 AM ET

Hear results from STI landscaping projects conducted in seven different countries from East and Southern Africa that explored needs for STI vaccines and diagnostics.

Recording / Latu Human Rights Foundation Slides / ACTS 101 Uganda Slides / Journalists Association Against AIDS (JournAIDS) Slides