Food and nutrition to support people living with HIV are key elements to reach the UNAIDS Fast-Track Targets, according to the participants of a recent consultation on nutrition and HIV held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Coorganized by the World Food Programme and UNAIDS, the event focused on the critical importance of food and nutrition support for the 90–90–90 treatment targets, but also for preventing new HIV infections, especially among adolescent girls and young women.
The participants shared evidence and experience on the impacts of malnutrition and food insecurity on HIV treatment and on how food security and social protection contribute to preventing new HIV infections and to improving adherence among adolescents. The participants also noted that conducting HIV testing alongside child growth monitoring can enable more timely diagnosis and treatment of malnourished children living with HIV.
Lucie Cluver, Associate Professor at Oxford University, noted that in South Africa, adolescent girls who received food at school had a 40% reduction in unprotected or casual sex than those who did not receive food at school. And adolescents on HIV treatment who had enough food were two and a half times more likely to adhere to HIV treatment than their peers who did not.
According to the participants, the new UNAIDS 2016–2021 Strategy should focus on improving the quality of services provided to people living with and most affected by HIV. It should rely on multisectoral approaches that enable the delivery of integrated packages of support, including food and nutrition, social protection, livelihood support and education.
“It is only by putting people at the centre that we can reach the end of the AIDS epidemic. Food and nutrition are essential to achieve the Fast-Track Targets. Effective systematization and communication of evidence on food and nutrition to inform HIV policy and programmes is urgently needed.”
Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director
“I believe we can achieve the three zeroes, but the lack of food and nutrition support is still an obstacle. Malnourished people living with HIV are two to six times more likely to die in the first six months of treatment, and hunger is one of the barriers to long-term adherence. It’s time we prioritize food and nutrition in the Fast-Track approach.”
Martin Bloem, Senior Nutrition Advisor and UNAIDS Global Coordinator, World Food Programme
"Nutrition and food support for people living with HIV is one of five elements included in the United States Congressional Care and Treatment Earmark for PEPFAR bilateral support."
Amie N. Heap, Senior Nutrition Advisor, United States Agency for International Development
