The HIV Infectious Disease Advisory Summit, held from September 10 to 12, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal, provided a vital bilingual platform for scientific exchange and education, fostering peer-to-peer learning and collaboration among public health specialists and experts. This summit focused on three critical areas essential for combating the intertwined epidemics of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV): (1) Triple Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) with an emphasis on HBV, (2) Implementation of 4th-generation testing to effectively capture acute infections, thereby supporting countries in achieving the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95- 95-95 goals [1], and (3) Advocating for the utilization of Blood- Based HIV Self-Testing (BB HIVST) to enhance accessibility and acceptance among diverse populations.
The summit was timely, reflecting the pressing need for innovative solutions in the Central and West Africa (CWA) region, which encompasses 22 countries and approximately half a billion people [2]. Notably, about 12% of this population is under the age of 15, making it one of the youngest demographics globally and constituting roughly 43% of Africa’s total population [2]. The region is characterized by a disproportionately high prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and HBV, underscoring the urgency of the summit [3-5]. For instance, the Greater Banjul region of The Gambia reported an alarming HIV prevalence rate of 35.5% among men who have sex with men (MSM) in 2018 [6], while Nigeria faced an HBV prevalence rate of 8.1% among adults aged 15-64 years in 2023 [7]. Moreover, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) documented a congenital syphilis rate of 26.77 per 100,000 live births in 2022 [8]. These statistics highlight the region’s critical public health challenges, further exacerbated by economic instability and limited healthcare access. Throughout the summit, 120 participants from countries including Senegal, Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone shared their experiences and insights, reflecting diverse perspectives on regional health successes and challenges. These discussions emphasized the importance of learning from previous initiatives and successful collaborations, as well as the need for capacity building and innovative approaches to ensure long-term impact.
A recurring theme of the sessions was the imperative to ensure funding to support relevant interventions and equitable access to diagnostics for hard to reach and marginalized populations. Overcoming stigma and implementation barriers remained central to the conversations. The agenda featured thematic presentations, interactive discussions, group work, and case study reviews, all designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration. The key outcomes from this meeting included the establishment of collaborative partnerships, identification of strategic priorities, better understanding of available funding pathways, and the need for clear implementation plans which should be tailored to address the region’s pressing health needs. By harnessing the collective expertise and commitment of stakeholders, the summit aimed to bolster regional responses to HIV, syphilis, and HBV prevention and treatment. The three-day meeting held the aim of being a scientific and educational platform to encourage peer-to-peer learning, engagement and best-practice sharing amongst public health specialists and experts in the field to bridge diagnostic gaps in infectious diseases.
Attwill, A., Mehto, M., Ramly, R., Gonzalez, AR., Flomo, J., et al. HIV Infectious Disease Advisory Summit September 10 to 12, 2024, in Dakar, Senegal. Juniper Online Journal of Public Health, 9(4). 555769.DOI: 10.19080/JOJPH.2025.09.555769
Keywords: PMTCT (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission); Triple elimination; 4th generation HIV Testing; Blood-based HIV Self-Testing (BB HIVST); Central Africa; West Africa