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Speaker Name : Christine KAFANDO �Coordonnatrice de l’Association Espoir pour Demain (AED)

Title :

THE CONTRIBUTION OF PLHIV TO THE HIV RESPONSE /CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

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History
Situation across the world and in Burkina Faso
How the disease was managed at the time
Major challenges
Starting from nothing/gathering together
Action by PLHIV
Current challenges/ Perspectives
Conclusion

Presentation Overview

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First case worldwide in 1981
Start discussing HIV in 1986 in Burkina Faso, and the country had his first case in 1991 (10 years after the pandemic outbreak)
Governments fail to grasp the urgency of the situation
Thousands of deaths worldwide, and in Africa it was AIDS that wrecked havoc

Where the story begins

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Extreme stigmatization and discrimination (health personnel, family and community)
The gaze of others has claimed many victims (abandonment and rejection of PLHIV have led to many deaths).
A shameful disease because it is sex-related, a disease of whites and MSM.
Bad publicity in the media has contributed greatly to increasing fear and stigmatization.

Situation in Burkina Faso

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Quelle prise en charge à cette époque

Expensive screening test

It essentially consisted of Cotrimoxazole and a few OI drugs.

Patients had to be patient, and most of them died in the AIDS phase.

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Training

Gain acceptance from the medical world and researchers. Opening doors

Fight against fear and the negative representations conveyed by the media and the general public.

Fight for research to move forward, for laboratories to make the first effective treatments available and accessible as quickly as possible.

The big challenges

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Big challenges at the time

Gaining expertise to advance research; access to prevention and treatment to influence public policy;
Obtain free ARVs, including OIs, biological tests and hospitalization costs.
Convince populations to go for screening and to accept treatment.

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Developing the foundations of the community approach
Speaking out as an affected person (infected by HI)
Several players mobilized and set up the first prevention and screening initiatives
From 1993, all the first associations began with prevention and screening, without any experience of their own.
In June 1997, the very 1st association was created, bringing together people living with HIV, with the support of several front-line players and strong personalities (Adrien.S; François P.J; Dembélé, the late Sanou Z, Philippe VDP and many others).

Starting from scratch/gathering

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Face-to-face testimonials have had a powerful impact, putting a more human face on the disease.
Raising awareness in the community, as close as possible to those affected and with them.
Providing hospital services (visiting patients, comfort, support, materials, etc.)
Forge links with nursing staff

Actions by PLHIV in Africa and elsewhere

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Offering self-support centers where people can talk about what they don't know elsewhere and learn from each other's experience.
Offer comprehensive support that goes far beyond medical care.
The Denver principle (join forces to fight and refuse victimization)
Fight to change laws and systems that distance us from prevention and care.

More PLHIV actions

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We said to ourselves that if we didn't touch the top, we wouldn't touch the bottom(history)

From the outset, the fight against HIV has been a political struggle, and one that is reasserting itself today.

Associations have based and must continue to base their actions, decisions and demands on their extensive knowledge of the field, on the results of research and their joint work with researchers.

They have made their voices heard by public decision-makers. Are they still succeeding today? Let's talk about it

Precious Experience/Today, Tomorrow's Challenges

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Put an end to the HIV epidemic: drastic reduction in new infections
Redirect priorities (PTF, Donors, FM)
Encourage our governments to take ownership of financing the fight against HIV/AIDS
Focus (sustainable) resources on HIV/AIDS
PLHIV must take their rightful role
Fight against persistent stigma/Discrim( phas,MSM,TS...)
Strengthen the leadership of young PLHIV in the fight against HIV

A few challenges today

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The associations have thought and acted globally on all fronts, which has enabled them to take into account the overall health of PLHIV (aging with, co-infections, etc.).
This exemplary mobilization of all players and pooled skills should be a model for new generations, but also in the fight against other pathologies.

Conclusion