On March 21, Yuliya van Polanen, Executive Director of AFEW International and Yulia Komo, Director Programmes EE & Visibility, participated in the multistakeholder event “Going Beyond – From Belgium to the EU”, organised by Gilead Science in Brussels.
How to achieve optimal health for all people with HIV and lead the way towards ending the epidemic? This and many other questions were discussed by different speakers, including Minister Vandenbroucke from Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024 (he had a keynote video message), former Minister and current MP Maggie De Block, different Members of the national Parliaments and European Parliament, as well as European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS), UNAIDS and Gilead Sciences.
Speakers and panelists underscored the continued imperative of screening, testing and prevention strategies within the population, with particular emphasis on key populations more at risk at acquiring the virus. The panel emphasized the importance of continuous attention to the needs of people with HIV. Access to multidisciplinary care, value-based healthcare, and patient-centered and innovative treatment options are important tools to address the specific needs of people with HIV. As the population ages, specific emphasis was put on the need to address, amongst others, comorbidities, as well as focusing on the quality of life and health related quality of life of people with HIV.
We are happy that we had a unique opportunity to contribute to the policy discussion on the needs of people living with HIV and those at risk!
