Debate Series: Emerging Issues in Today's HIV Response

With leading donor countries emerging from economic crisis, development aid flows are under heavy pressure. As a result, governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, communities of people living with HIV and AIDS, and other partners need the best evidence and knowledge available to make their development dollars go further in pursuit of better results. From 2010-2012, the World Bank's Global HIV/AIDS Program and the Office of HIV/AIDS, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), co-hosted a series of debates on the changing dynamics of HIV/AIDS, and our collective response.

PAST DEBATES

DEBATE 1: May 19, 2010

WB/USAID co-hosted debate on: "Test and Treat: Can We Treat Our Way Out of the Epidemic?"

Debate proposition: Testing and treating approaches should immediately be built into and consume at least 50 percent of HIV prevention resources in Africa.

Resources: Debate Proceedings Report (PDF)

DEBATE 2: June 29, 2010

WB/USAID co-hosted debate on: "Behavior change for HIV prevention"

Debate proposition: Behavior change in generalized epidemics has not reduced new HIV infections and is an unwise use of HIV prevention resources.

Resources: Debate proceedings Report (PDF) 

                Videocast of Debate              

DEBATE 3: August 26, 2010

WB/USAID co-hosted debate on: "Discordant Couples and HIV Transmission"

Debate proposition: Intra couple HIV transmission between couples in long term stable partnerships drive a majority of HIV transmission and should receive the majority of HIV prevention funding.

Resources: Executive Summary (PDF)

                Videos: Start from A to D (Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D).

DEBATE 4: October 27, 2010

WB/USAID co-hosted debate on: "Concurrent Sexual Partnerships"

Debate proposition: Concurrent sexual partnerships have been and remain a key driver of HIV epidemics in southern and eastern Africa, and interventions to this effect should receive the majority of prevention resources.

Resources: Executive Summary (PDF)

DEBATE 5: February 14, 2011

The ethics of material incentives for HIV prevention

Debate proposition: Providing material incentives is an ethical and effective tool for HIV prevention and should be implemented.

Resources: Executive Summary (PDF)

                Videocast of Debate

DEBATE 6: November 10, 2011

Treatment as Prevention

Debate proposition: Countries should spend a majority of what is likely to be a flat or even declining HIV prevention budget on ‘treatment as prevention’.

Resources: Executive Summary (PDF)

DEBATE 7: July 23, 2012

Global Health Funding for HIV/AIDS

Debate proposition: Continued AIDS investments by donors and governments is a sound investment, even in a resource-constrained environment.

Debate: Global Health Funding for HIV/AIDS - Liveblog & Webcast