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About us
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As the directing and coordinating authority on international health, the World Health Organization (WHO) takes the lead within the UN system on the global health sector response to HIV/AIDS. The WHO HIV/AIDS Programme provides evidence-based, technical support to WHO Member States to help them scale up treatment, care and prevention services, as well as maintain and increase access to drugs and diagnostics. This is to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable response to HIV/AIDS.
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Making universal access a reality
WHO HIV/AIDS Programme staff collaborate with other UN Agencies, Ministries of Health, development agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), health services providers, health-care institutions, people living with HIV and other partners. The aim is to strengthen all aspects of the health sector in order to deliver much-needed HIV services. Working with six regional offices and 193 countries, WHO provides technical support and develops evidence-based norms and standards that will help transform the goal of universal access into a reality.
Five strategic directions
Recent estimates indicate that the health sector alone represents at least 55% of the resources required for the global response to HIV/AIDS. In order to better target much-needed interventions, the WHO HIV/AIDS Programme focuses on five strategic directions:
- Enable people to know their HIV status;
- Maximize the health sector’s contribution to HIV prevention;
- Accelerate the scale-up of HIV treatment and care;
- Strengthen and expand health systems;
- Invest in strategic information to better inform the HIV response.
A public health approach
The WHO HIV/AIDS Programme promotes a public health approach to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. This means working with countries to develop and implement simplified guidelines, to decentralize services, and to delegate tasks to less specialized health workers. In other words, the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
The WHO HIV/AIDS Department refers specifically to the unit dedicated to working with HIV/AIDS as opposed to the 'Programme' which refers to all WHO HIV-related work both at headquarters, regions and countries.
The WHO HIV/AIDS Department
The HIV/AIDS Department is closely linked to other related departments and programmes. These include sexual and reproductive health; tuberculosis; blood safety; child and adolescent health; essential drugs and medicines policy; disease surveillance; mental health; vaccine and microbicide development; gender and women's health; health education and substance dependence.
The HIV/AIDS Department is comprised of the following teams: Prevention in the health sector, Antiretroviral treatment and HIV care, Systems strengthening and HIV, Strategic information and research and the Office of the Director that responds on policy coordination, advocacy communications, resource mobilization, partnerships with civil society and programme management. The department is located in the Cluster for HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and Neglected tropical Diseases. (HTM).
Other departments of WHO working in HIV-related areas
HIV/AIDS Department structural organigram [pdf 150kb]
WHO WE ARE
A brochure introducing the WHO HIV/AIDS Programme.
English [pdf 220kb]
French [pdf 279kb]
Spanish [pdf 277kb]
WHAT WE DO
While partnering with global institutions within and outside of the United Nations, the WHO HIV/AIDS Department works in the following areas:
- Policy development, and normative and technical guidance to help countries scale up HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector
- Country support, including capacity buildingand training for health workers
- Securing an adequate supply of HIV medicines, diagnostics, and other tools
- Monitoring the global spread of HIV/AIDS and the availability of treatment and prevention services, and;
- Advocating for greater global attention and commitment to HIV/AIDS.
WHERE WE WORK
In addition to the Department at Headquarters, all WHO Regional offices and many country offices have dedicated HIV/AIDS teams and staff.
HIV/AIDS unit of the Regional Office for Africa (AFRO)
HIV/AIDS unit of the Regional Office for the Americas (AMRO/PAHO)
HIV/AIDS and STD unit of the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)
HIV/AIDS unit of the Regional Office for Europe (EURO)
HIV/AIDS unit of the Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO)
HIV/AIDS unit of the Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO)
HIV/AIDS officers in WHO Country Offices
HOW TO CONTACT US
World Health Organization
HIV/AIDS Department
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Email: hiv-aids@who.int
Website: http://www.who.int/hiv
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