Global Health Champion Germany?! From HIV to SARS-CoV-2
International virtual Conference on December 1st, 2021 (Languages: English, German, Russian)
The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international efforts to end AIDS cannot just yet be measured. Around the world, we are observing impacts on programs to fight HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases, on civil societies and on key populations – with great regional differences. Human rights, solidarity and the financing of global health are in trail.
The outcome of the federal elections in Germany will set a new course. For the global HIV work, this holds the opportunity to get the goal of ending AIDS by 2030 back on track. We still don't know whether the new federal government will follow in the footsteps left by the previous government under Chancellor Merkel when it comes to global health. Will the new government breathe life into Germany's role as a “Global Health Champion”? Will it continue the commitment of the previous federal government? With the milestones of the replenishment of the Global Fund and as host of the G7 Summit in 2022 there will be drawn a line to the position of the future German government.
With our conference, we want to initiate a dialogue and, above all, give the voice to international civil society: We will discuss how Germany can embrace the attribution as Global Health Champion, which experiences we can transfer from our history of HIV to SARS-CoV-19 and which preliminary conclusions can be drawn. Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, and Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, have agreed to participate in the event.
In addition to experts from international civil society and groups particularly affected by HIV, TB and malaria, politicians from the democratic parties represented in the Bundestag, scientists and experts from the Global Fund, WHO and UNAIDS are invited.
The conference is organized by Action against AIDS Germany in cooperation with AIDS Action Europe, Deutsche Aidshilfe and the Global Fund Advocates Network Asia-Pacific (GFAN AP).
Program
"Global Health Champion Germany?! From HIV to SARS-CoV-2 – What have we (not) learned?"
Wednesday, 1st of December 2021
Opening panel
10:00-11:30 CET
- Admission and technical "housekeeping rules" (admission from 9:30 CET)
- Welcome address by the inviting organizations represented by Sylvia Urban, Board member of the German Aids Federation and Action against AIDS Germany
Key Notes
- Speaker: Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund
- Speaker: Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS
- Speaker: Cindy Kelemi, Executive Director at Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS
In their key notes, the speakers will give an update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, on ending AIDS, TB and malaria and insert the issues of the conference.
The subsequent discussion will focus on the following questions:
• What are the main differences being a Global Health Champions nowadays compared to the situation 20 years ago?
• What experiences can be transferred from our history with HIV to SARS-CoV-2?
• How do we achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG3) and the goal of ending AIDS by 2030, also with regard to the situation arising from SARS-CoV-2?
• What changes result from SARS-CoV-2 and how can we ensure that the basic principles of the Global Fund and UNAIDS with its mechanisms to ensure the participation of key populations based on human rights principles are strengthened instead of weakened?
Moderated Discussion with
- Cindy Kelemi, Executive Director at Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS
- GFATM, Dianne Stewart, Deputy Director, External Relations, Global Fund
- UNAIDS, Matt Kavanagh, Special Advisor to the Executive Director on Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge Management UNAIDS
Moderation
- Rachel Ong, Global Fund Advocates Network Asia-Pacific
- Christine Stegling, Frontline AIDS
Report from a community perspective
Daniel Townsend, Focal Point Global Fund NGO Delegation, Germany
BREAK: 11:30-11:40
Session I "COVID-19: Communities in Action and Where Do We Go From Here " (hosted by GFAN AP)
11:40 – 12:55 CET
This session is organized in cooperation with the GFAN AP with the participation of community and civil society and key populations representatives from regional and country perspectives from India, Indonesia and Vietnam. We will talk about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Global Fund programs, communities, key and vulnerable populations, health and community systems; as well as the responses in dealing with this unprecedented health crisis with the support of the Global Fund to mitigate these impacts. In addition, we will elaborate on the urgency in equitable access to COVID-19 tools in the Asia-Pacific region, with recommendations from speakers on the role of donors (including Germany) and implementers in achieving Universal Health Coverage and ending HIV, TB and malaria as epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region given the G20 presidency will be held by Indonesia in 2022 and India in 2023.
Presenters
- Rodelyn M. Marte, Executive Director, APCASO, Asia Pacific
- Harry Prabowo, Project Coordinator, Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (APN+), Thailand
-
Dr Khuat Thi Hai Oanh, Executive Director, Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI) Vietnam
Moderated discussion with
- Alexander Freese, BMZ, Board member of the Global Fund
- Daniel Marguari, Executive Director, Spiritia Foundation, Indonesia
- Daxa Patel, President, National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI+)
-
Youth representative from Indonesia/India/Philippines (tbc)
Moderation
- Jennifer Ho, Deputy Director APCASO, Asia Pacific
- Peter Wiessner, Action against AIDS Germany
Report from a community perspective
Shonna Shonning, Community Activist, global health expert, Vietnam
BREAK: 12:55 – 13:20
Session II "Global health architecture is changing - Where are the champions?"
13:20 – 14:35 CET
The current pandemic is changing the global health architecture, its interaction, direction and funding. The discussion on the establishment of further funding mechanisms for pandemic prevention and preparedness is taking place without including the already existing underfunded institutions with their existing experience in fighting pandemics and developing standards. In regard of the changes, the course must be set in the right direction. The global health security paradigm threatens solidarity and human rights. For civil society, the main issue is to preserve proven principles: the experience of shrinking spaces for civil society participation are very real! The session will illustrate current developments, furthermore we will discuss which challenges need to be accomplished in the future and which experiences can be used to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030. The way must be paved for Global Health Champions to realize a world without AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to enable health for people worldwide. To make this happen, Germany must not only maintain its support for the Global Fund, UNAIDS and WHO, but expand it – to strengthen human rights and global solidarity.
The following questions arise in this context:
- In view of the observed changes, how can already existing structures and principles be strengthened and adapted?
- How can the German government contribute to strengthen multilateral cooperation and civil society participation?
- What lessons can be learned from the current pandemic and applied from the history with HIV?
- What is the role of existing intuitions (WHO, UNAIDS, GFATM, Gavi etc.) in pandemic prevention?
- What are the expectations of international civil society towards Germany in the face of changing structures and what steps are needed to fill the role of Global Health Champion?
Speakers
- Dr. Christoph Benn, Director for Global Health Diplomacy am Joep Lange Institute
- Sasha Volgina, GNP+ Global network of People living with AIDS
Moderated discussion with
- Brigit Pickel, Director for Global Health, Pandemic Prevention, One Health at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- Heike Baehrens, SPD, chairwoman of the board of global health of the German parliament
- Paul Zubeil, Deputy Director General, Division Z2 – “European and Health Politics”, Federal Ministry of Health
Moderators
- Ferenc Bagyinszky, AIDS Action Europe
- Mareike Haase, Bread of the World (tbc)
Report from a community perspective
Jeffry Acaba, APCASO, T Asia Pacific
BREAK: 14:35 - 14:45
Session III "Investing in a world without AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria – what are the right arguments?"
14:45 - 16:00 CET
Access to health care is a human right. Despite tremendous progress achieved over the last two decades, diseases such as AIDS, TB and malaria still kill millions of people every year. Populations in low-income countries, the poorest, most vulnerable, and marginalized face a disproportionate risk that has been further exacerbated by COVID-19. Further investments in global health are required to get back on track and achieve a world without AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as we fight new pandemics The internationally agreed Sustainable Development Goals, and specifically SDG 3, will only be attained by reaching a common understanding of global solidarity and social justice. As we face the devastating impact of COVID-19, partners from all sectors need to rally around common values to achieve our common goals. We need to be ambitious if we aim at ending the three diseases as epidemics by 2030. In this session we will discuss with representatives from government, parliament, civil society, and multilateral agencies what are the financial needs to achieve a world without AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and present our thoughts on a fair share for Germany
The following questions arise in this context:
- What are the current needs to end AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 2030 and what would be the cost of inaction?
- Why are the Global Fund and UNAIDS key to achieving SDG3 and what key principles and added value do they bring in a changing global health landscape?
- What are the expectations from the German Civil Society and its fair share analysis?
Speakers
- Tilman Rüppel, Political Advocacy Officer, Missionsärztliches Institut Würzburg
- GFATM, Dianne Stewart, Deputy Director, External Relations, Global Fund
- UNAIDS, Jaime Atienza Azcona, Chief Health Financing, UNAIDS
Speakers
- Tilman Rüppel, Political Advocacy Officer, Missionsärztliches Institut Würzburg
- Katy Kydd Wright, Director of the Global Fund Advocates Network
- GFATM, Dianne Stewart, Deputy Director, External Relations, Global Fund
- UNAIDS, Jaime Atienza Azcona, Chief Health Financing, UNAIDS
Moderated discussion with speakers and
Hermann Gröhe, Member of the German Parliament (CDU)
Moderation
- Melanie Otto, Action against AIDS Germany
- Sergius Seebohm, Friends of the Global Fund
Report from a community perspective
Bryan Teixera, Independent researcher and activist, France
16:00 summary and Farewell
Frank Mischo, Kindernothilfe