Combination HIV prevention is an approach initially proposed by the United States in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and subsequently adopted and expanded in 2009 by the UNAIDS HIV Prevention Reference Group and updated in the UNAIDS 2015 report Fast-tracking combination prevention.
UNAIDS defines combination HIV prevention as rights-, evidence-, and community-based programs that promote a combination of biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions designed to meet the HIV prevention needs of specific people and communities. Its goal is to reduce the number of new infections through activities with a greater sustained impact.
Well-designed combination prevention programs should be tailored to national and local needs, based on epidemiological information. Programs should also concentrate resources on combining activities where they are most needed. Structural interventions make it possible to create an enabling environment for the synergistic preventive action of the biomedical and behavioral components. Affected communities should be fully involved in these programs, mobilizing community, private sector, and government resources to achieve the necessary participation, coverage, and susainability and impact. WHO recommends a comprehensive package of health services for HIV prevention:
Antiretroviral Therapy Behavioral Interventions Condoms and Lubricants EMTCT Plus Harm Reduction Hepatitis B and C HIV Testing Services Mental Health PEP PrEP Sexual and Reproductive Health Sexually Transmitted Infections Tuberculosis and HIV Co-Infection Vaccination and Screening for HPV Voluntary Male Circumcision
Highlights
Scientific and Technical Materials
- What’s the 2+1+1? Event-driven oral pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV for men who have sex with men: Update to WHO’s recommendation on oral PrEP. Technical brief; 2019
- WHO implementation tool for pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection; 2019
- HIV self-testing strategic framework: a guide for planning, introducing and scaling up; 2018
- Consolidated guidelines on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV; 2017
- HIV Prevention in the Spotlight. A health sector analysis in Latin America and the Caribbean; 2017
- Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations. Update; 2016
- Consolidated guidelines on HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations; 2014
Communication Materials
Mandates and Strategies
- Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control: Final Report; 2017
- Plan of Action for the prevention and control of HIV and sexually transmitted infections 2016-2021; 2017
- Plan of Action on Immunization, CD54.R8
- CD54/7 Plan of Action on Immunization; 2015
- Global health sector strategy on HIV, 2016-2021. Towards ending AIDS; 2016
- World Health Organization. Global health sector strategy on Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2016-2021. Towards ending STIs; 2016
- Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016-2021; 2016
- Regional Strategy and Plan of Action for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control in Latin America and the Caribbean; 2016
- Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents Health 2016-2030; 2015