Mandatory HIV testing and bans on entry, stay and residence based on HIV status not only do not protect public health but undermine HIV prevention and treatment efforts. For millions of people living with HIV around the world, these are repeated violations of their right to privacy, equality and non-discrimination and a constant reminder of HIV-related stigma. In 2016, United Nations Member States agreed to eliminate HIV-related travel restrictions. In 2019, around 48 countries and territories still maintain some form of HIV-related travel restriction.

To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and HIV expenditure, UNAIDS
carried out a modelling study on fiscal space for health and HIV. From a sample of
28 countries, three countries—the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, and
Lesotho—were selected to capture health and HIV expenditure impacts across countries
with especially marked differences in burdens of disease (including HIV prevalence), HIV
donor dependency, level of economic development, and geographic location. While the
three-country sample is too small to permit findings to be generalized to other countries,
these analyses are useful for informing UNAIDS’ work to identify some policy positions to
minimize the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the HIV response.

This brief was developed following a consultation with members of the UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and other key stakeholders following the results from four community trials in Africa that showed decreased HIV incidence (by approximately 20–30%) and decreased HIV-related mortality (by approximately 20%) within three years of implementing a community-wide universal test and connect programme compared with current standard care.

Universal test and connect is an intensive community-wide strategy to accelerate HIV epidemic transition to rapidly reduce new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS-related illnesses across a specific community. This brief captures the highlights of the core findings of the STAC meeting and is focused on explaining universal test and connect in clear terms, with an emphasis on what it is and isn’t and on what to consider if a country is interested in implementing the approach at the subnational level. It also highlights the implications of the current and possible future COVID-19 contexts on opportunities for universal test and connect.

The purpose of this publication is to share leading practices for HIV data quality and to provide standards countries may use to assemble the highest possible quality of programme data for their HIV epidemiological estimates process.

A synthesis report on programme disruptions and adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020

Read the report Global commitments, local action — After 40 years of AIDS, charting a course to end the pandemic.