Diagnostics

This document provides guidance on monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the comprehensive package of interventions to address HIV among key populations: men who have sex with men, people in prisons and other closed settings, people who inject drugs, sex workers and transgender people.

This document provides countries with:

• a set of harmonized indicators to examine the implementation of the package of interventions to address HIV among key populations; and
• guidance on setting targets for these indicators.

Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free initiative aims to galvanize global momentum around a shared and ambitious agenda to build on the progress achieved under the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive. The Global Plan resulted in remarkable progress, reducing new HIV infections among children by 60% in 21 of the most affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet the job is far from done. In 2015, 150,000 [110,000–190,000] children became newly infected with HIV globally, 110,000 [78,000–150,000] of whom lived in the 21 Global Plan priority countries.

Greatly expanded access to routine viral load testing will be a game-changer in the global response to AIDS. Routine viral load tests improve treatment quality and individual health outcomes for people living with HIV, contribute to prevention, and potentially reduce resource needs for costly second- and third-line HIV medicines.

The 2015 WHO consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretrovirals updates the 2013 edition following an extensive review of evidence.

The guidelines include 10 new recommendations to improve the quality and efficiency of services to people living with HIV. In addition, for the first time the guideline includes "good practice statements" on interventions whose benefits substantially outweigh the potential harms. The guidelines will be a valuable resource for health-care providers and should shape the priorities of policy makers. Meaningful engagement of people living with HIV will be essential for successful implementation.

The 2016 High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS will focus the world’s attention on the importance of a Fast-Track approach to the AIDS response over the next five years. The UNAIDS Fast-Track approach aims to achieve ambitious targets by 2020, including:

1. Fewer than 500 000 people newly infected with HIV
2. Fewer than 500,000 people dying from AIDS-related causes
3. Elimination of HIV-related discrimination