ViiV HEALTHCARE LAUNCHES GIPA ACCELERATOR FUND TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVES IN EFFORTS TO END AIDS BY 2030

ViiV Healthcare is the only company 100% dedicated to combating, preventing, and ultimately curing HIV and AIDS. We know, however, that we cannot achieve our goals alone. To promote the development and implementation of policies, strategies and healthcare services that empower people living with and affected by HIV to be involved in the decision-making and management of their health according to their preference, whilst raising awareness about their rights and responsibilities, ViiV Healthcare is launching the GIPA Accelerator Fund to support community-led and community-driven national and regional efforts to end AIDS by 2030. We strongly believe that engaging local communities is critical to addressing the drivers of health inequalities, and therefore strive to promote community responses that change beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours to improve health and rights at the community level.

The Positive Perspectives 2 (PP2) study showed that a significant proportion of respondents did not believe they were given enough information to be involved in making choices about their HIV treatment with some people living with HIV (PLHIV) feeling uncomfortable raising their concerns with Health Care Providers (HCPs) for fear of being seen as a ‘difficult patient. This may limit opportunities for a quality dialogue with their provider about their treatment. People who feel they have contributed to decisions regarding their key care and treatment choices report better health outcomes. Yet the PP2 study suggests that a majority would like more information, better communication and stronger engagement with their HCPs. Involving people living with HIV in their spectrum of care needs is more effective than traditional paternalistic approaches. Additionally, understanding the experiences of people living with HIV is essential to informing policy and services to meet their needs. People living with HIV should be at the centre of the HIV response, taking into consideration not only what services and programmes are available to them, but also the political, legal, socio-economic and cultural environment in which the individual lives.¹

The GIPA Accelerator Fund aims to encourage and support the Greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA) principle being put into practice. We are seeking applications from non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, and patient advocacy groups, to support advocacy efforts to ensure that People Living with HIV have a voice in healthcare decisions that can and will impact their lives.

Applications for the Fund, which aims to provide grants of up to £70,000 for one year, should address at least one of our priority funding areas and associated themes, including:

• Projects that actively demonstrate and support participation of people/communities living with HIV in care and service delivery
• Projects that demonstrate and/or support meaningful inclusion of people living with HIV in policy dialogue and development (HIV prevention, treatment, and care)
• Projects that effectively empower people living with HIV in developing capacity and capability in treatment advocacy

For more information on the application and eligibility criteria please see the ViiV Healthcare’s GIPA Accelerator Fund Frequently Asked Questions.

The application process will run from 8 November to 23 November 2022. Successful applicants will be announced by 09 December 2022. Funding will be dependent on the completion of relevant due diligence and verification processes.