ANAC at AIDS2024: The Recap

We had a fantastic week at AIDS2024, the International HIV/AIDS Conference held in Munich July 20-26. A highlight was the engaging and insightful sessions at the ANAC Nursing Networking Zone—the only nurse focused space at the conference. Our discussions touched on crucial topics from advancing nursing education to tackling global health equity challenges. Here’s a closer look at each day’s session:

Day 1: Strengthening the Global Nursing Workforce: Advancing Education, Research, and Practice

We started strong with an engaging panel that emphasized the importance of involving nurses in all facets of healthcare. ANAC members LaRon Nelson, Susan Michaels-Strasser, Carole Treston and Mitchell Wharton joined in dialogue with nurses from Uganda, Kenya, Lesthoto and the U.S. A poignant moment came from an audience member from Uganda who shared how nurses are often undervalued and are not as respected in the global south. This sparked an important conversation about enhancing the global perception and respect for the profession. We left with the question: How can we elevate the status of nurses worldwide?

Day 2: PURPOSE1: Long-Acting PrEP Injectables for Young Women - How Do We Scale Up

Monday’s focus was on the innovative PURPOSE1 study and discussion focused on the promise of lenacapvir and the rigor, protections and inclusions built in to this very important study that will make an impact on HIV rates in girls and young women. The involvement of community advisors and the critical roles of nurses in education and implementation were highlighted. The barriers to scale-up led to a robust discussion on improving health equity.

Day 3: Anti-LGBTQ Laws & Their Impact Globally

Chris Beyrer and Jen Kates led a vital session that shed light on the challenges nurses face under stringent anti-LGBTQ laws in oppressive environments. The concept of "dual loyalty" was introduced, where nurses balance professional duties and personal ethics. The discussion underlined the importance of prioritizing holistic and patient-centered care while acknowledging the challenging position nurses are in as they also advocate for LGBTQ equality. We ended the day celebrating HPTN096, co-chaired by ANAC member and nurse scientist LaRon Nelson.

Day 4: PEPFAR Nurse Leadership Initiative

We were joined by nurses from across the globe who are leading the PEPFAR Nursing Leadership Initiative, a strategic funded initiative in seven PEPFAR countries (Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia) to support the nursing workforce through nurse leadership to sustain gains and accelerate progress toward ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat. Discussions focused on strategies in developing, supporting and sustaining nurse leadership capacity that included thoughtful dialogue about challenges and shared learning with nurses and colleagues from different settings and experiences.

Day 5: The Intersections of Faith and LGBTQ & HIV Rights

Thursday’s talk was profoundly impactful, with insightful and deep conversations about the roles of nurses in action at the intersection of faith, human rights and healthcare as we care for individuals and communities. Discussion was led by a panel that included Ulysses Burley, Canon Gideon Byamugisha, Rev. Jide McCauley and Jesse Milan. We discussed the complex roles that faith leaders and nurses play in advocating for HIV and LGBTQ rights. We tackled the need for sensitivity to faith in patients' lives from nurses and the need for advocacy within religious communities from faith leaders. The conversation emphasized the need for continued dialogue and collaboration between nurses and faith leaders.

Thank You for those who could join us!

It was incredible to see such diverse participation from around the world. Each session not only provided deep insights but also sparked important conversations that we hope will continue beyond the conference. The involvement of our members is crucial in driving these discussions forward and in fostering a global nursing community that is informed, empowered and respected.

JANAC Curated Collection

In recognition of AIDS2024, the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care made a curated collection of papers recently published in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (JANAC) available to AIDS 2024 delegates and the general public without charge July 22 - Aug. 23.