We can only end HIV if we put people first.

Especially the communities that have historically been put last. Because the most socially marginalized people are often the ones disproportionately impacted by public health threats like HIV.

Putting people first means the HIV response must be person-centered and grounded in the experiences and journeys of people living with and affected by HIV.

It means our HIV response needs to be based in human rights and recognize that we must evolve our systems to eradicate institutionalized stigma.

It means that our HIV response needs to put people before profit, and policy before politics.

It means that we’ll never end the epidemic if we don’t use community-based tools like harm reduction to reduce the number of new cases.

We can put people first in the language we use, choosing terminology that reduces stigma in everything we say.

We can put people first by ensuring our community organizations are properly funded so that they can improve access to sexual health services and vital prevention, testing and treatment programs tailored to the people they serve.

We can change our laws and policies to not criminalize or discriminate against people living with HIV so that we can reduce shame and the fear of prosecution – both of which pose significant barriers to accessing HIV testing and treatment.

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We can design research and clinical trials that let the communities living with and affected by HIV co-create effective strategies that are accessible and culturally-conscious.

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We can put people first by ensuring everyone has free access to HIV medications.

Putting people first was the theme of this year’s International AIDS Conference. And as the IAS says, “Rather than thinking of ‘hard-to-reach populations’, we should think of ‘hard-to-reach health services’.”

We have the tools to end the HIV epidemic, yet inequalities persist in accessing prevention, testing and treatment. Putting people first means prioritizing the most under-resourced communities so we can strive to put right the negative effects of historic injustice.

Let’s put people first, so that no one is left behind in Canada’s HIV response.

HIV RESEARCH SAVES LIVES.

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