Contextualizing best practices in HIV prevention 

for Thailand and the region

successes, challenges, and the way forward 

January 10-12, 2024

at Amari Don Muang Hotel, BANGKOK, THAILAND 

Asia and Eurasia, Vietnam, Ukraine and the PEPFAR Asia Region Program (ARP) comprise diverse countries, contexts, and HIV epidemics that nevertheless share many similarities for HIV programming. Since its 2019 regionalization, the vision has been to coalesce as a unified region to maximize impact and promote efficiencies to advance and sustain epidemic control, with special attention to key populations (KP), people living with HIV (PLHIV), and those affected by HIV and their networks.  As ARP is deregionalized and divided into four separate Operating Units (OUs) in COP 23, interventions must continue to be contextualized, and there should be ongoing sharing of best practices and lessons learned for the region to achieve maximal impact.  

Objectives


 

Day 1

The session covers welcome and opening remarks, regional epidemiology gaps, PEPFAR and COP/ROP strategies, and Thailand's current HIV prevention approach. It explores hot topics in prevention (HIV, STIs, Hepatitis B & C) and shares experiences from the Healthcare Accreditation Institute, Thailand, on enhancing the quality of HIV prevention services. Best practices for STIs/Mpox services in Thailand are discussed, along with a panel on successful contextualization of case finding strategies, including HIVST, index partner testing, LIVES integration, testing within border care, and diverse key population-focused modalities.

Day 2

Explore the evolving landscape of HIV prevention, including current WHO recommendations for normalizing, simplifying, and diversifying PrEP. Delve into biomedical innovations such as CAB-LA and beyond, examining regional models for PrEP scale-up through a panel discussion covering self-tests, diversified models, and private sector engagement. Uncover the evolution of U=U with new guidance and the regional soft launch of the CDC Resource Guide. Additionally, set the stage for CAB-LA and explore strategies for regional PrEP demand creation.

Day 3

The session introduces a comprehensive exploration of HIV prevention strategies in the region, encompassing best practices for engaging and caring for young key populations, tackling stigma and discrimination to accelerate prevention efforts, leveraging community-led models (CLM) for person-centered prevention, understanding and addressing syndemics, and discussing sustainable approaches. The agenda includes a panel on community-led HIV prevention featuring TG-led services and MAT integration models for PWID. The session concludes with insights on the sustainability of HIV prevention and closing remarks outlining next steps. 

 

Executive Guests

Dr. Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn

Director-General, Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand

Dr. Niti Haetanurak

Deputy Director-General, Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand

Dr. John K. Williams

Regional Associate Director for Asia & Europe for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Cheewanan Lertpiriyasuwat

Director of Division of AIDS and STIs, Department of Disease Control(DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand

Dr. Sumet Ongwandee

Director of GF, Thai MOPH DDC

Dr. Sanny Northbrook

Director of Division of Global HIV & TB Thailand and Laos, CDC Thailand

Speakers

Eamonn Murphy

Regional Director UNAIDS, Asia Pacific Region; and Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region

Shane Diekman

PARCU CDC Agency Representative Asia Region PEPFAR Coordination Office

Dr. Suchada Jiamsiri

Deputy Director of  Division of AIDS and STIs, Department of Disease Control(DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand

Heather-Marie Schmidt

UNAIDS Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand and the Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programme, World Health Organisation, Switzerland

Dr. Akechittra Sukkul

Deputy director of Healthcare Accreditation Institute

Dr. Rossaphorn Kittiyaowamarn

Chief of Bangrak Medical Center, DDC, MOPH, Thailand

Mr. Udom Likhitwonnawut

AVAC, Thailand

Sara Klucking

PEPFAR Coordinator for the ASIA region 

Moderators

Rashida Hassan

Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ATL

Joseph Lawrence

 USAID

Facilitators

Dr. Ramona Bhatia

Biomedical Prevention Team Lead, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ATL

Monique Carry

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ATL

Farida Langkafah

DGHT Thailand and Laos, CDC Thailand

Dr. Nittaya Phanuphak

Executive Director of the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI), Bangkok, Thailand

Junya Danyuttapolchai

CDC Thailand & Laos

Panelists

Dr. Ketmala Banchongphanith

Center for HIV/AIDS/STI (CHAS), Lao MOH

Mr. G.S. Shreenivas

Deputy Director, PATH, India

 

Dr. Tep Samnang

Head of NCHADS BCC Unit, MOH, Cambodia

Hoang Nam Thai

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Vietnam

Mr. Kret Setha

Chaktomuk Operational District Deputy Director and Team Leader of Tuol Kok Family Health Clinic and PrEP, Cambodia

Dr. Vo Hai son

Deputy Director General Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control - Ministry of Health

Dr. Vijayaraman

 Deputy Director, VHS-CDC Project ASPIRE, India

Dr. Kyaw Soe Htet 

ICAP, Burma

Trinh Minh Viet

MOH, Vietnam


Inad Quinones Rendon

APCOM


Dr. Chaiwat Ungsedhapand 

DHP, CDC, Thailand

Bruce Richman

 PAC

Asia Nguyen

 CDC, Vietnam

Danvic Rosadino

Love Yourself, Philippines

Dr. Thanyawee Puthanakit 

Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University 

Dr. Kantarida Sripanidkulchai

Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University 

Tung Duy Bui

Community Engagement Lead, Vietnam

Apiwat Kwangkaew

TNP+, Thailand

Dr. Sampath Kumar

Advisor, VHS-CDC Project ASPIRE, India

Dr. Farkhod Saydullaev

CDC\DGHT, Public Health Specialist, Prevention Advisor, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Dr. Thitisant Palakawong Na Ayuthaya 

Director of Public Health Service Center 28, Health Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration

Surang Janyam

 Director of Service Worker in Group Foundation (SWING)

Harry Prabowo

7 Alliance/Civil Society Network

The Asia Pacific Network of People living with HIV (APN+)

Francis Josepph 

7 Alliance/Civil Society Network

Soe Moe Kyaw

7 Alliance/Civil Society Network APNSW (Asia Pacific Network of Sex Workers) 

MC

Dr. Suchira Suttana

Division of AIDS and STIs, Department of Disease Control(DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand

Thanarat Shevaruangroj

DAS, MoPH, Thailand

Venue

Amari Don Muang Airport Bangkok

Address: 333 Choet Wutthakat Rd, Khwaeng Don Mueang, Khet Don Mueang, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10210