Roundtable with the Ministry of Social Affairs on HIV work in Sweden
On Tuesday 11 February, HIV-Sweden and other organizations met with State Secretary Petra Noreback at the Ministry of Social Affairs to discuss the work on HIV in Sweden. The meeting was initiated by State Secretary Noreback and came about after HIV-Sweden, together with other organizations, had for some time requested the attention of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The aim of the meeting was to discuss success factors, opportunities and challenges in the work with HIV/STIs in Sweden in the light of the achievement of the so-called 95-95-95 targets in 2023.
Among other things, HIV-Sweden emphasized the importance of not settling for the hope that the work with HIV is over and that continued efforts are needed. One example is the UK, which has shown a downward trend in new HIV diagnoses for 15 years. Five years ago, the trend was reversed and the number of newly diagnosed cases began to increase. The Starmer government has therefore announced that it will invest SEK 365 million in HIV work, starting in 2025. During the meeting, Hiv-Sverige also raised the fact that the group of people living with HIV has never been larger in Sweden and that we still do not have a single person who has lived a full life with HIV and antiretroviral treatment. We also emphasized that people living with HIV are affected earlier and to a greater extent by co-morbidity. Efforts are needed to improve and prepare care at both regional and municipal levels. Hiv-Sverige, together with several other organizations, also stressed the importance of continuing to work to increase knowledge about HIV in society and counteract the stigma that affects people living with HIV. For many, being diagnosed with a chronic disease that is fatal without treatment is a significant personal transition, which requires society to offer support to create the best conditions for a good life with HIV.
All in all, there are several challenges and needs in the area of prevention as well as in the work on HIV stigma and increasing the quality of life for people living with HIV. One signal that Sweden is once again taking a leading role in the work on HIV is that Sweden is also focusing on achieving the so-called fourth 95 target: that 95% of people living with HIV in Sweden should have a good quality of life.
Hiv-Sweden's proposal to the Ministry of Social Affairs
In connection with the meeting, HIV-Sweden submitted the following proposal to the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Conduct a risk analysis of the consequences of a cut in HIV funding
Taking into account the complexity and dynamics of HIV analysis
Give the National Board of Health and Welfare the task of developing national guidelines for the care of people living with HIV to create equal care throughout the country
Ensure that the appropriation and regulations are fit for purpose, in order to maintain Sweden's 95-95-95 status in the future and be able to work on a fourth goal; that 95 percent of people living with HIV in Sweden should have a good quality of life
In light of the instability and uncertainty in our neighborhood, and the announcement by the new US administration to end or severely restrict PEPFAR and USAID funding, which provides HIV medicines to approximately 20 million people living with HIV, HIV Sweden also presented the report "On HIV in times of crisis or war", which highlights HIV from a Swedish preparedness perspective, focusing on drug supply and disinformation. The report can be read or downloaded here.
HIV-Sweden also submitted the report "HIV in a new era", which sheds light on HIV and living with HIV from a health economic perspective.