Why integrate sexual and reproductive health with HIV?
02 February 2007
There is a growing body of knowledge emphasising the integration of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) as critical to the efficacy of responses to HIV/AIDS and the success of HIV/AIDS programmes. Further, accelerated headway in malaria prevention and/or treatment can be achieved through integration with SRH efforts. Not all HIV, SRH and malaria interventions are inter-related or can be integrated, and what works in one country may not work in another. But in many high-prevalence settings, accelerating integration between SRH–HIV and SRH–malaria programmes makes sense.
There is also agreement that universal access targets will not be met without simultaneously strengthening national health systems. Integrating SRH–HIV, SRH–malaria and SRH–tuberculosis (TB) into mainstream existing programmes, particularly at primary health care level, will enhance the probability of sustainable outcomes in the longer term.
Integrating SRH–HIV, SRH–malaria and SRH–TB into health services, particularly at primary health care level, has the potential to address a range of Global Fund priorities: giving due priority to groups and communities most affected by the three diseases; addressing human rights and gender equality, including contributing to the elimination of stigmatisation against those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, especially, women, children and other vulnerable groups; supporting “innovative activities that impact on the supportive environment”*, such as the involvement of the private sector in service delivery and/or affected communities as caregivers; ensuring good value for money; and supporting national plans and priorities.
Scaling up integration between these programmes also contributes to the goal of the Global Fund through its potential to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. However, international leadership for the promotion of integration remains inconsistent, and to date there has been very little emphasis on integration between SRH–HIV/AIDS and SRH–malaria in Global Fund policy documents, guidelines, proposals, progress and financial reports.
*Guidelines for proposals – Round 6, section 4.6.3. Examples of activities supported.
