Advancing Global Health Equity: Protecting HIV Prevention Choice for Women in Africa
- Apha News
- Apr 28
- 2 min read
A new call to action from the Africa Women’s Prevention Community Accountability Board (AWPCAB) serves as a vital reminder: Access to health care is a human right, but choice is the engine of health equity.
As new biomedical interventions like long-acting injectable PrEP become available, the public health community faces a challenge. It is not enough for these tools to exist; they must be accessible, affordable, and integrated into a system that respects the autonomy of the women they are meant to serve.
Why Prevention Choice Matters
The AWPCAB’s latest statement, “Defending Women’s Right to Choose,” outlines a vision for HIV prevention that aligns closely with APHA’s core values:
Self-Determination: Public health is most effective when individuals have the power to choose the prevention methods that best fit their lifestyles, whether it be oral PrEP, the vaginal ring, or long-acting injectables.
Domestic Responsibility & Sustainability: With shifts in global health funding (including PEPFAR), there is an urgent need for African governments to increase domestic investment. Sustainability cannot rely on external aid alone; it requires a committed, localised infrastructure.
Centring the Most Impacted: APHA believes that "policy should be informed by those it affects." The AWPCAB is demanding that women and girls in all their diversity be at the centre of the design, implementation, and monitoring of HIV programs.
The Path Forward
The progress made in the global HIV response is fragile. To reach the 2030 goal of ending the epidemic, we must advocate for policies that move beyond "one-size-fits-all" clinical approaches and instead embrace a comprehensive, choice-based framework.
APHA stands in solidarity with the advocates and health workers across Africa who are fighting to ensure that no woman is left behind due to a lack of options or a lack of funding. We encourage our members - researchers, practitioners, and advocates - to read this unified call to action and consider how its principles of accountability and choice can be applied to public health initiatives worldwide.
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