Browsing by Author "Chola, Mumbi"

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Africa's defining moment: the time to lead the HIV response is now.
(2025-May) Chola, Mumbi; Sikazwe, Izukanji; Robalo, Magda; Oduro-Bonsrah, Pokuaa; Coutinho, Alex; Sheneberger, Robb; Ozoemene, Jekwu; M'pele, Pierre; Nyamweya, Damaris; Stevenson, Sasha; Raphael, Yvette ; Nene, Sesupo M.; Ataguba, John; Chakroun, Mohamed; Sidibe, Michel
Breaking barriers, changing paradigms: Africa's radical agenda for HIV sustainability.
(2025) Chola, Mumbi; Robalo, Magda; Buse, Kent; Oduro-Bonsrah, Pokuaa ; Ozoemene, Jekwu; Dieng, Abdoul; Akulu, Ruth; Madzima, Bernard; Coll-Seck, Awa M.; Sheneberger, Robb; Nene, Sesupo M. ; Sikazwe, Izukanji ; Sidibe, Michel
Despite significant progress in the HIV response, the sustainability of this journey is threatened by over-reliance on external support and imported and often inappropriate models. The recent sudden shifts in the United States Government's foreign aid policy have heightened the urgency for independence. Africa is at a critical point, which presents an opportunity to move from dependency on external assistance to establishing itself as a self-sustaining center of innovation and sustainable growth. Africa must reshape its approach to the HIV response by addressing the continent's over-reliance on external funding and shift towards self-sustainability and inclusiveness. For Africa to sustain its HIV response, it is critical to have African voices and leadership in the HIV response, adopt African-centric approaches in moving from silos to the integration of programme governance, ensure renewed governance and accountability frameworks, Africanizing research and development and also ensure African medicines security and sovereignty. Africa must leverage Ubuntu approaches to empowering communities, women, youth, and key and vulnerable populations, and work with community networks for service delivery. There must also be sustained HIV Programmes in Fragile and Post-conflict Settings. It is also critical to secure domestic financing through a continental approach to financing health and well-being. For Africa to realize the vision of a sustainable, African-led, and owned HIV response and health agenda, collective action is imperative. African stakeholders must fully support this agenda and claim it as their own in the spirit of Ubuntu, within the context of continental plans for transformation and revitalization. Together, we can realize the vision of the "Africa we want."
The global HIV response at a crossroads: protecting gains and advancing sustainability amid funding disruptions.
(2025-Jul) Matanje, Beatrice; Masha, Ruth L.; Rwibasira, Gallican; Ngure, Kenneth; Yahaya, Hidayat B.; Anam, Florence R.; Chola, Mumbi; Subedar, Hasina; Chunda, Lilian; Holmes, Charles B.
The global HIV response faces a crisis as abrupt funding cuts, particularly from the USA, threaten decades of progress. Governments across Africa report widespread disruptions in essential services, including HIV testing, treatment, and prevention. Reliance on previously stable partnerships and external funding has left many programmes vulnerable to sudden financial shock. Achieving self-reliance will require national health system integration, streamlined service delivery, digital health solutions to extend health system functions, and diversified funding sources, including greater mobilisation of domestic resources, innovative financing, and impact investment. Although some countries have made major strides towards self-reliance, urgent actions are needed to protect against harms to individuals and communities due to service delivery interruptions. Governments should lead efforts to integrate the continuum of HIV services into broader health systems, and donors should pivot towards strategic support, including technical assistance and catalytic funding for commodities and services that mitigate harms. Without decisive action, funding disruptions could result in catastrophic increases in infections and mortality, undermining the global HIV response for the next generation.