In April 2016, MSF released its “Out of Focus” report which drew global attention to huge gaps in HIV testing and treatment in countries in West and Central Africa (WCA), based on what teams see in DRC, Guinea and Central African Republic. Overall, only 28% of people living with HIV, and 20% of children have access to antiretrovirals (ARVs).

MSF called for an urgent ‘catch up’ plan to swiftly roll-out HIV testing and life-long HIV treatment services throughout the region, with a target to triple the number of ART initiations by 2020.

Since then, MSF has worked behind-the-scenes with UNAIDS and WHO to elaborate an ‘Emergency Catch-up plan for West and Central Africa’, and field teams have been involved with the elaboration of the national acceleration plans with other partners. These advocacy plans are aimed at getting buy-in and commitments from major donors and national governments to implement them.

On Monday 3 July), the African Union will host a high level event with West and Central African leaders, donors and policy makers to deepen their engagement in a regional HIV plan and acceleration plans in 14 priority countries (out of 25 countries)

The objective is to triple the number of patients on ART within 18 months (at least 1 million people, including 60,000 children, diagnosed with HIV will receive sustained quality ART by mid-2018), with a view to sustaining this response.

MSF wants to highlight a number of key factors that still prevent the wider scale-up of HIV treatment in West and Central Africa today, and highlight strategies that we see as essential to a quality HIV response: ‘test & start’, task shifting, free HIV care, differentiated models of care and increased involvement of civil society. Success will mean intensified political commitment plus technical and funding support for their practical implementation in all 25 countries in West and Central Africa.