Need For Integrated Framework To Address HIV And Reproductive Health Together

The importance of integrating sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and HIV in one-stop-shop services under one roof in combating the infection was a key focus at the recently concluded HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIVResearch for Prevention Conference. 

Family Planning News Network (FPNN) reported live from the event, highlighting that effective SRHR services are essential not only for preventing new HIV infections, but also for supporting individuals living with HIV in maintaining healthy lives.

Experts at the conference emphasized that SRH services serve as a vital platform for delivering HIV prevention, care, and treatment interventions. This interconnectedness allows for a comprehensive approach to public health, where HIV services can also facilitate access to a variety of SRHR services, including family planning, cervical cancer screening, and antenatal care.

The discussions underscored the need for integrated health strategies that address both HIVand reproductive health, advocating for policies that enhance service delivery and accessibility. By fostering collaboration between HIV and SRHR sectors, stakeholders aim to create a more holisticframework that not only reduces new infections but also improves the overall health and well-being of affected populations.

The conference was a critical platform for sharing insights and strategies to strengthen these essential health services globally.

Access As Critical Component

Ensuring universal access to SRHR services – like education, financial support, contraception, and cutting-edge research – not only helps prevent new HIV infections but also provides essential support for those already living with HIV. Access to these services empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

However, access isn’t always guaranteed. Human rights violations, poverty, gender inequality, and harmful cultural or societal practices can exacerbate the impact of HIV and other sexual health challenges. These barriers make it harder for people to obtain the SRHR services they need, leading to greater complications and adverse outcomes in the future.

People living with HIV have the right to healthy, satisfying sex lives. They need laws to protect this right and appropriate services to ensure their sexual and reproductive health. There are a host of complex issues related to the fulfilment of the SRHR of people living with HIV, their partners and families.

UNAIDS provided a model for rights-based, people-centered public health. Sexual andreproductive health and rights are consistently at the forefront of the struggle for women’s human rights, worldwide, the UN agency for AIDS reported.

Bringing sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV services together improves access to services and provides a model for rights-based, people-centred public health practice.

In eastern and southern Africa, UNAIDS, the United Nations Population Fund, governments, civil society and development partners collaborate to increase the uptake of integrated services that are free from all forms of stigma and discrimination.

Indeed, UNAIDs recommended all countries to integrate SRHR and HIV services improves access to care and sets the stage for a rights-based, people-centered public health practice. Strengthening the link between these services could lead to: Decreased maternal mortality rates, Reduced HIV transmission, Less stigma that prevents access to services and products. Others are, Reduced teenage pregnancies, Improved sexual and reproductive health and rights for all and more.

Linking SRHR and HIV involves action at three levels: enabling environment (policy and legal); health systems; and integrated service delivery. Linkages refer to bidirectional policy, systems, and services synergies between SRHR and HIV. It refers to a broader human rights-based approach, of which service integration is a subset.

Integration refers to the service delivery level and can be understood as joining operational programmes to ensure effective outcomes through many modalities (multi-tasked providers, referrals, one-stop-shop services under one roof, etc.).

Stronger bi-directional linkages between SRHR and HIV-related programmes can lead to a number of important public health, socioeconomic and individual benefits, such as: improved access to and uptake of key HIV and SRH services; better access of PLHIV to SRH services tailored to their needs; reduction in HIV-related stigma and discrimination; improved coverage of underserved, vulnerable and key populations. 

Other benefits are greater support for dual protection, improved quality of care; decreased duplication of efforts and competition for scarce resources; better understanding and protection of individuals’ rights.

The rest are mutually reinforcing complementarities in legal and policy frameworks; enhanced programme effectiveness and efficiency and better utilisation of scarce human resources for health.

When we focus on providing universal access to SRHR services, we are not only advancing HIVprevention but also ensuring that individuals living with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections receive the comprehensive care they need and deserve.

The intrinsic connections between SRHR and HIVare well established. Linking HIV and SRHR responses is critical for reaching human rights, gender equality, and health targets for the Sustainable Development Goals.