— The 2024 Me and My Healthcare Provider (MMHCP) Campaign, supported by Gilead Sciences for the third year running, honours 18 frontline workers providing exemplary inclusive and stigma-free HIV services in Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, Taiwan and now, Türkiye —

GENEVA, July 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IAS – the International AIDS Society – with local partners, today honoured 18 Me and My Healthcare Provider Champions from Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico, Taiwan and Türkiye. This award celebrates the tireless efforts of frontline healthcare workers who navigate the challenges of stigma and discrimination to provide good-quality HIV prevention, treatment and care to key populations.

Despite a decrease in new acquisition rates, stigma and discrimination remain significant challenges in HIV care. According to the People Living with HIV Stigma Index 2.0 Global Report 2023^[1], while 93.5% of respondents were receiving HIV treatment, a majority reported experiencing internalized stigma associated with their HIV status. Additionally, 3% of respondents faced stigma and discrimination from health facility staff and 26.9% admitted to interrupting or stopping their HIV treatment. These findings indicate that we are far from achieving the Global AIDS Strategy's target of reducing stigma and discrimination to below 10% by 2025 and highlight the need for collaborative action to establish stigma-free HIV care environments globally.

Since 2021, the Me and My Healthcare Provider Campaign, supported by Gilead Sciences, has been running in Brazil, Hong Kong, Mexico and Taiwan in partnership with Gilead and local partners, GESTOS – HIV, Communication and Gender, Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, Inspira Cambio A.C, Taiwan AIDS Foundation, and Pozitif-iz Association Türkiye. This year, marking its third year of collaboration, the campaign has expanded to Türkiye, signifying a crucial milestone in the global fight against HIV-related stigma and discrimination. This expansion underscores our unwavering commitment to promoting health system sustainability and advancing people-centred care at a global level.

Driven by key populations affected by HIV, the Me and My Healthcare Provider Campaign serves as a platform to honour the contributions of healthcare providers who have positively influenced their lives. It goes beyond recognizing the dedication and passion of the frontline workers; it also encourages replication and empowers others to confront and challenge the stigma that continues to hinder progress in the HIV response.

This year's Healthcare Provider Champions (in alphabetical order) are:

• Andréa Carla Almeida de Araújo, CTA/SAE  Jaguaribe, Brazil
• Richardson Barroso, Otávio de Freitas Hospital in Brazil
• Eline Gomes, Lactário de Caruaru in Brazil
• Patricia Holanda, UDM de Cajazeiras in Brazil 
• Alex Siu Wing Chan, The Hong Kong AIDS Foundation in Hong Kong
• Sze Nga Chan, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong
• Grace Cy Lui , The Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong
• Bonnie Chun Kwan Wong, Hong Kong Society for HIV Medicine in Hong Kong
• Carlos Batalla, Positivxs Morelos in Mexico
• Yuliana Italia López Bueno, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico 
• Hsin-Yen Ku, Taoyuan Hospital in Taiwan
• Chia-Wen Li, National Cheng Kung University Hospital in Taiwan
• Yu-wen Tang, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Taiwan
• Meng-Tzu Wu, Taiwan Love and Hope Association in Taiwan
• Ayşe Akaltun, Ankara Çankaya Municipality Volunteer Counseling and Testing Center, Türkiye
• Metin Sinan Elmalıoğlu, Renk Pharmacy, Türkiye
• Cansu Ecem Kesgin, Querencia Psychology, Türkiye
• Hüsnü Pullukçu, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Türkiye

"Addressing HIV-related stigma is a crucial part of creating a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being," Birgit Poniatowski, IAS Executive Director said. "Our MMHCP Champions and like-minded partners are paving the way towards that goal. They are fostering equitable access to care and empowering people living with HIV to seek support and treatment without fear of discrimination – ensuring that everyone can enjoy their rights to health and well-being."

"Gilead is committed to creating a healthier world for all people – no matter where they live or who they are. A key component to achieving this vision is putting people at the center of everything we do to help reduce barriers to care, including stigma and discrimination. We are proud to support this year's MMHCP Champions who share our vision and work passionately every day to improve health in their communities," Janet Dorling, Gilead Senior Vice President, Intercontinental Region and Gilead Patient Solutions, said.

To learn more about the Me and My Healthcare Provider Campaign, please visit: https://www.iasociety.org/me-and-my-healthcare-provider

About the Me and My Healthcare Provider Campaign

Established in 2016, the Me and My Healthcare Provider Campaign, supported by Gilead Sciences, recognizes frontline healthcare workers who deliver quality HIV prevention, treatment and care and other services to key populations, often in the face of stigma and discrimination. The campaign aims to build better understanding of what motivates these healthcare champions to provide inclusive and stigma-free services, amplify their stories to encourage replication, and empower others to confront stigma.

About the IAS

IAS – the International AIDS Society – convenes, educates and advocates for a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being. After the emergence of HIV and AIDS, concerned scientists created the IAS to bring together experts from across the world and disciplines to promote a concerted HIV response. Today, the IAS and its members unite scientists, policy makers and activists to galvanize the scientific response, build global solidarity and enhance human dignity for all those living with and affected by HIV. The IAS also hosts the world's most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference. 

Media contact:

media@iasociety.org

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