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International Council of Nurses co-hosts AIDS pre-conference and celebrates contribution of nurses to combating HIV epidemic
Geneva, Switzerland; 18 July 2016 – NursingHIV 2016 convened a wide range of experts to celebrate and explore the contribution of nurses and midwives to combating the HIV epidemic. The pre-conference was held 16 & 17 July, just prior to the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) in Durban, South Africa which opens today.
As one of the hosts of NursingHIV 2016, ICN has joined the call by the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) for more investment in nursing in order to:
As one of the hosts of NursingHIV 2016, ICN has joined the call by the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) for more investment in nursing in order to:
- Advance nurse-led care through policies and legislation that support nurses’ true role in HIV prevention, care and treatment
- Increase and improve resources, budget allocation and staffing structures that reflect the central role of nursing to HIV care and achievement of 90-90-90.
- Establish health systems that ensure strong interprofessional collaboration.
- Ensure equitable representation of nurses on healthcare and HIV decision making bodies.
“Nurses represent a powerful voice in combating HIV/AIDS and in improving access to care, support and treatment, “ said Dr Frances Hughes, ICN’s Chief Executive Officer. “Nursing care is the cornerstone of care, prevention and support for those living with HIV. Nurses and families provide the majority of care for patients with HIV. We are active in the prevention of discrimination and stigma and are the predominant health professionals in infection control. Investing in HIV nursing care now will save millions of lives.”
The meeting included robust discussion on current trends, best practices, issues, and challenges in HIV nursing and midwifery, including topics related to workforce development, regulation, policy, education and quality of care. Particular attention was given to developing a priority agenda for HIV nursing workforce strengthening in order to achieve UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets:
- y 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.
- By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy.
- By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression.
NursingHIV 2016 is hosted by ICN along with ICAP at Columbia University; the Democratic Nursing Organization of South Africa (DENOSA); the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC); Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA); and supported by Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson and CDC.
The Nursing Call to Action can be found here:
For more information on AIDS 2016, please go to www.aids2016.org
Note for Editors
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality care for all and sound health policies globally.
