Integrating HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections with primary health care – Learning from countries

Overview

Countries are navigating major challenges and emerging opportunities in funding and delivering HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs (HHS) services, with a growing push for national ownership and sustainability as donor support declines. Countries are increasingly adopting a primary-health care (PHC) approach to address HHS epidemics as part of a broader holistic and people-centred approach to health.

This new policy brief highlights progress and lessons learned from efforts to converge, link and integrate these services with PHC in several low- and middle-income countries. The overall experiences from selected countries in this brief – Angola, Botswana, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, Rwanda, Viet Nam, and Zambia – show varied challenges, approaches and outcomes aligned with the 4 strategic and 10 operational levers described in the WHO/UNICEF PHC Operational Framework . Countries that prioritized 4 or more areas at the same time - achieved the most sustainable results.

The integration of disease-focused responses and services with PHC has led to improved access to services, enhanced service delivery, stronger community engagement, improved health outcomes and sustainable financing. The recommendations focus on strengthening governance, securing political commitment and sustainable funding, enhancing health systems, promoting task sharing, engaging communities, reducing stigma, leveraging digital technologies, and partnering with the private sector.