As the world scales up public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the success recorded with the HIV epidemic has shown us what is possible through global solidarity. The past four decades have addressed the HIV pandemic through collective global efforts and despite challenges, significant gains have been recorded.

Like HIV, the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which as of January 2021, had infected over 100 million people globally and impacted more than 210 countries and territories exposes the fragility of many health systems and brings the challenges of inequality, stigma and discrimination to the fore.

As the Covid-19 continues to spread, its effect has thus interrupted the health service delivery for HIV and other global health priorities. A recent study from UNAIDS reveals how the decades-long fight and response to HIV pandemic offers essential lesson that has strategically guided the response to Covid-19, leveraging the experience and infrastructure from the AIDS response to accelerate the Covid-19 response in such a way that we do not lose the gains that have been achieved on HIV and other health priorities. These parallel global challenges offer unique opportunities to reimagine the health systems and economies to be more inclusive, sufficiently resourced and equitable.

The investments in HIV have provided a model on which the Covid-19 response can build on, in creating a more robust approach to guide the sustainability of the Covid-19 response through multi-sectoral collaboration, political leadership, community participation and the human-rights approach. By incorporating these lessons into the Covid-19 response, we can ensure to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the health and well-being of all.

Leadership and Co-ordination

Like HIV, the Covid-19 is not only a health issue but one that also affects the economy of a country. The HIV response has pioneered what political leadership can achieve in response to a global health crisis. The United Nations has championed series of political declarations that have guided the global HIV response and driven accountability for results. With this lesson learned from the HIV response, there is a need for committed leadership and coordinated response across countries to effectively address the Covid-19 epidemic. Counties must work together in solidarity, unite efforts and involve various key partners to achieve maximum success.

Community Participation

The Community played a central role in strengthening the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the involvement sped up the delivery of improved health outcomes and promoted an enabling environment especially for marginalized populations to access testing and treatment. HIV has provided opportunities that Covid-19 can leverage to achieve a robust implementation within its response. With community participation, we are far more likely and together, come up with innovative and contextualized solutions that meet the full range of needs of our diverse populations through Community governance, program design, implementation, community monitoring and accountability.

The Respect for human rights

The emergence of Covid-19 has reported increase in significant human right breaches and abuse. The experiences from the HIV epidemic had shown the negative impact of stigma, discrimination and violations of human rights, especially amongst the vulnerable population. Through concerted efforts to centralize the human rights principles into the HIV response, more successes were recorded
Everyone is entitled to equal rights without discrimination of any kind, however, public health emergencies are known to expose and aggravate existing inequalities in society. The Human rights-based approaches must be at the centre of Covid-19 pandemic response, as there is a need to guarantee inclusion for all and equal access to quality health service, it is important that Covid-19 leverages this opportunity to make significant changes that will accelerate rights-based, equitable and people-centred systems.

Accurate Data and Strategic Information

One of the major lessons learned during the outbreak of HIV was the effect that lack of communication or misinformation had on communities, the World Health Organization (WHO) set up a team to provide easy-to-understand, accurate and useful guidance to keep the world informed about latest data and evidence, it is only through timely and reliable health information that the government, decision makers and health institutions were empowered to design and implement preventive measures that saved lives.

With varying and misleading information about the Covid-19 pandemic on the internet, there is the need to deliver accurate data on the pandemic to monitor outbreaks and disease control measures. The lessons learned from HIV on proactive communication will help minimize adverse consequences in the Covid-19 response.

Multi-sectoral Synergy and Global solidarity

Another lesson to be learned from the HIV epidemic that should inform the Covid19 response is ‘all hands must be on deck ‘at all levels in the society to ensure success in the Covid-19 response especially amongst the vulnerable communities. The HIV response models the pivotal role of multi-sectoral and multilateral collaboration in addressing the pandemic. The Covid-19 demands the galvanization of shared resources to overcome this public health challenge.

What Next?

The timescale between the effects of HIV and Covid-19 present major differences, and while our experiences with COVID-19 is constantly evolving, it is not farfetched to believe that the Covid-19 is here to stay. With the decades of experiences in addressing the HIV epidemic, there is a blueprint for the Covid-19 to leverage on. The advent of the Covid-19 vaccine has shown major strides in its response and this could only have be possible through global solidarity and support.
The Covid -19 response must however continue to build on this existing substantial infrastructure as we move onward to combat and mitigate the effects of this new global pandemic.