The Road To Toronto – Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Strategy to "Save" Lives

Washington, DC - April 17, 2006

PAI commends the development of a promising new comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment that incorporates Safer practices, Available medications, Voluntary counseling and testing, and Empowerment through education (SAVE). Given the findings of a recent report by the independent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – which illustrate that current U.S. prevention strategy leaves countries unable to responsibly address the specific needs of their epidemic – PAI calls on the Bush administration and Congress to consider the breadth of the SAVE approach when developing a more scientifically sound and comprehensive prevention program.

Developed by the African Network of Religious Leaders Living With or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (ANERELA+) and recently adopted by the U.K.-based organization Christian Aid, SAVE captures the various elements needed to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide. This holistic approach – addressing many aspects of prevention, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS – was developed as a more appropriate alternative to the narrowly focused ABC approach to prevention.

The ABC method – a prominent yet controversial part of U.S. prevention strategy that stands for Abstinence, Be faithful, and use Condoms – has dominated the global discussion of U.S. involvement in HIV/AIDS efforts. By targeting three specific types of behavior within populations – thus segregating its prevention efforts – it has stigmatized the use of condoms and neglected the real needs of many who receive an abstinence-until-marriage message in lieu of more comprehensive prevention education. The SAVE approach moves beyond the U.S. version of the ABC method by emphasizing an evidence-based approach to information sharing – including the distribution of factual and unbiased information on condoms – and also stressing that abstinence must not be taught in isolation.

The SAVE approach recognizes that efforts to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic will ultimately be futile unless approaches to prevention, care and treatment are integrated. PAI hopes that donors – especially the U.S. government – and service providers will support this sound, public health approach to ending this deadly disease.PAI commends the development of a promising new comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment that incorporates Safer practices, Available medications, Voluntary counseling and testing, and Empowerment through education (SAVE). Given the findings of a recent report by the independent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – which illustrate that current U.S. prevention strategy leaves countries unable to responsibly address the specific needs of their epidemic – PAI calls on the Bush administration and Congress to consider the breadth of the SAVE approach when developing a more scientifically sound and comprehensive prevention program.

Population Action International (PAI) works to improve individual well-being and preserve global resources by mobilizing political and financial support for population, family planning and reproductive health policies and programs.