This meeting built on the previous year’s workshop, where partners came together to define key principles for ensuring access to health technologies. In 2024, the discussions were more conceptual: participants worked to align on approaches and began developing Target Access Profiles (TAPs) — strategic frameworks for access to medical products.

This year, the focus shifted toward practice: participants began developing concrete Access Roadmaps for three product categories:

• Long-acting formulations (including for HIV and TB),

• Near point-of-care diagnostics,

• Medical oxygen.

Key goals of the workshop included:

• Testing and refining the methodology for access planning.

• Defining the roles of different stakeholders (governments, donors, manufacturers, communities) across the product lifecycle — from development to scale-up.

• Aligning on approaches that allow access conditions (e.g. pricing, licensing, technology transfer, regulatory pathways) to be embedded as early as the clinical trial design stage.

Denis Godlevskiy, Regional Coordinator of ITPC EECA, participated in the working group on long-acting formulations and emphasized: “The goal of the workshop was to understand what principles must be embedded already at the design and development stages of clinical research — so that we don’t end up facing artificial access barriers later. Without systemic investment in health infrastructure, no rollout will be sustainable. We also need long-term support for communities, especially for community-led monitoring (CLM) initiatives, because many NGOs and community groups in the region are now fighting for survival instead of leading meaningful advocacy and service delivery. If partners focus only on products and ignore people, these technologies will simply gather dust in empty clinics.”

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The event is organized by the Global TB Caucus, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Scientific Center of Phthisiopulmonology of the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan, the Global Fund’s TB grant in Kazakhstan for 2023–2025, and the Kazakhstan Association of Phthisiopulmonologists.

The conference brings together representatives of parliaments from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, ministers of health, international experts, including representatives of the World Health Organization, the Global Fund, the Stop TB Partnership, leading researchers, and community activists affected by tuberculosis.

The program includes a parliamentary summit and plenary sessions devoted to the implementation of the UN High-Level Declaration on TB, strengthening regional political leadership, and developing mechanisms for sustainable financing of TB control activities. Participants plan to discuss global and regional challenges on the way to ending the TB epidemic, new approaches in diagnosis and treatment, including the introduction of digital technologies and innovations, as well as issues of co-infections (TB/HIV, TB/viral hepatitis).

Particular attention is given to advancing a patient-centered approach and expanding the role of civil society in the TB response. Within the framework of working groups, practical examples will be reviewed on screening, preventive treatment, and the integration of TB services into primary health care systems.

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The agreement includes financial, technical, and regulatory support for Dr. Reddy’s to accelerate the production of a high-quality generic version of lenacapavir.

As part of a broader strategy to build a sustainable and competitive market for injectable PrEP, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has also joined the initiative. The foundation has signed a separate agreement with another licensed manufacturer, Hetero, to further ensure affordable pricing, reliable supply, and global scalability.

In October 2024, Gilead granted voluntary licenses to six generic manufacturers, including Dr. Reddy’s, for the supply of lenacapavir across the 120 LMICs. In addition, PEPFAR, the Global Fund, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) have already committed to procuring lenacapavir for up to 2 million people in these countries.

Lenacapavir is an innovative PrEP option administered only twice a year. The drug has already been approved by the FDA and the European Commission, and in July 2025, it was included in the World Health Organization’s global HIV prevention guidelines.

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It is important to note that, at this stage, these are only proposals that require discussion and decision by Member States. The report itself is marked as preliminary and “subject to formal consideration.” As we understand it, the document does not suggest an immediate termination of UNAIDS, but rather a gradual phase-out of the joint programme by the end of 2026, with its functions to be transferred to “relevant” UN structures starting in 2027. In line with the broader reform package, the emphasis is on “mainstreaming” technical expertise and avoiding duplication through knowledge hubs and a clearer division of labor among agencies.

We would like to remind that, according to the latest UNAIDS data, the EECA region continues to see a rise in new HIV infections, with the sharpest increases among key populations. Our region remains the only one in the world where the epidemic is still growing. For countries in our region, the disappearance of UNAIDS could prove catastrophic.

From our side, we will soon initiate an appeal, as we do not agree with the proposed reforms and restructuring. We are also ready to join initiatives from our colleagues in the region and support collective action.

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The CCM is a national collegial body that ensures coordination of efforts among different stakeholders in the response to HIV and tuberculosis. Its responsibilities include preparing funding applications to the Global Fund, providing strategic oversight of grant implementation, and coordinating the work of government agencies, civil society organizations, international partners, and key affected populations. In addition, the CCM ensures that Global Fund–supported activities are aligned with national strategic plans and programs.

In Belarus, the CCM operates under national legislation and its own regulations. Representatives of the non-governmental sector take part in the elections: candidates submit applications, while voters are drawn from the relevant subsectors of civil society. The term of office for CCM members is three years.

CCMs operate in all countries that collaborate with the Global Fund and are a mandatory requirement for accessing and managing Global Fund financing. While the structure and procedures of CCMs may vary from country to country, they all serve the same essential role: ensuring transparency, the participation of civil society and key populations, and accountability in the implementation of programs aimed at combating epidemics.

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According to experts, this price cut will generate more than USD 4.5 million in annual savings for high TB burden countries and GDF clients. The savings could be used to procure an additional 71,000 courses of bedaquiline or 16,000 full BPaLM regimens each year.

This marks the third consecutive price reduction for key DR-TB medicines in 2025. In February, GDF announced a 54% price cut for bedaquiline, followed by a 25% price reduction for pretomanid in April. As a result, six WHO-recommended DR-TB regimens are now priced below USD 300, including the endTB 9BLMZ regimen, which for the first time has dropped below USD 200 — now priced at USD 173 per course.

“2025 has been full of challenges, but we don’t give up. Today we are announcing the lowest price for DR-TB treatment regimens in history! In today’s financial environment, where every penny counts, this is a huge achievement. Now it is crucial to match this success with the same level of commitment to diagnosing and treating people with DR-TB,” said Dr. Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership.

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For autumn 2025, Zoom calls have already been confirmed with the following companies:

• Otsuka

  The main focus will be on delamanid. Members of ECAT plan to address issues related to the registration of the medicine in the region, the company’s pricing policy, and prospects for expanding access for patients in need of tuberculosis treatment.

• Gilead

  The key topic will be lenacapavir. The discussion will also cover the registration of the medicine in EECA countries, timelines for market entry, as well as the company’s plans regarding the introduction of generics and ensuring patient access.

• Merck (MSD)

  The dialogue will focus on three areas: HIV prevention, including the company’s new development — a once-monthly tablet for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), including the Gardasil vaccine; and medicines for the treatment of cervical cancer.

• Viatris

  The focus will be on the company’s role in ensuring access to generics in the region. ECAT’s members  plan to discuss supply chain sustainability, as well as new products that the company may introduce in EECA countries.

Following the meetings, reports will be published in both Russian and English.

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Across many EECA countries, processes for developing new National Strategic Plans on tuberculosis (NSPs) are starting or already underway. It is essential that TB communities and civil society organizations (CSOs) play an active role in these processes.

During the webinar, participants will refresh and strengthen their knowledge of strategic planning processes, learn how to collaborate effectively and contribute at every stage of NSP development, explore successful practices and lessons learned from Moldova’s recent experience and gain practical tools for analyzing the TB care cascade and applying epidemiological data in NSP planning.

Languages: Russian and English (with simultaneous interpretation).

The post Invitation to Webinar: Community Participation in the Development of National Strategic Plans on TB first appeared on ITPCru.

The announcement was made during an official briefing at the U.S. Department of State, held as a public press conference with participation from government, business, and global partners. Speakers included Jeremy Lewin, Senior Official for Humanitarian Affairs at the State Department, Daniel O’Day, Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences, and Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund.

As part of the new initiative, the goal is to provide access to lenacapavir for two million people over the next three years in countries with a high burden of HIV. The medication will be supplied at cost, with no profit to Gilead, and part of the expenses will be covered by the U.S. government through the PEPFAR program. Special focus will be placed on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV — thanks to lenacapavir’s biannual dosing schedule, it can provide protection throughout the entire period of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Although the full list of participating countries has not yet been released, it is known that 8–12 priority countries are involved, and first shipments are expected before the end of 2025.

However, the initiative has been met with criticism from some NGOs and activists. Health GAP, for example, stated that the actual scale of the program is much smaller than it appears. They argue that the U.S. government continues to block significant funds needed for PEPFAR to function effectively, and that the promised annual coverage — about 667,000 people — is already included in the Global Fund’s current commitments, meaning it is not an added contribution. Activists have also raised concerns that access to lenacapavir will remain limited and may not reach everyone in need.

Additional criticism has been directed at the program’s implementation model, which largely excludes nonprofit organizations — many of which have deep experience working with key populations. Experts warn that without their involvement, the initiative risks being less effective and may fail to reach the most vulnerable communities.

The post The U.S., Gilead, and the Global Fund Launch Major Initiative to Expand Access to Lenacapavir first appeared on ITPCru.

The CSEM Advisory Group plays a vital role in ensuring civil society representation within the global UHC2030 partnership. It serves as a bridge between national and global levels, conveys community priorities based on country-level inputs, and acts as a technical hub. The group consists of 18 members: 12 regular members, 3 civil society representatives, and 3 alternate representatives to the UHC2030 Steering Committee. Members serve in a voluntary, unpaid capacity.

CSEM is committed to ensuring a balanced composition in the Advisory Group, reflecting gender, expertise, regional representation, generational diversity, technical focus, and the inclusion of representatives from marginalized and vulnerable communities.

New members will serve a three-year term from November 2025 to October 2028.

Deadline for applications: Friday, 12 September 2025, at 11:59 EST

Learn more about the roles and how to apply:

• Call for Nominations (англ.)

• Llamado a Postulaciones (исп.)

• Appel à Candidature (фр.)

The Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM) is the civil society constituency of UHC2030 (formerly the International Health Partnership, IHP+), the global movement to build stronger health systems for universal health coverage (UHC). The CSEM raises civil society voices within the UHC2030 partnership and fosters the participation of civil society in other global and country-level advocacy spaces. The CSEM promotes UHC policies that are inclusive and equitable, and ensures that systematic attention is given to the most marginalized and vulnerable populations so that no one is left behind.

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