Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Community-based organisations (CBOs) play a critical role in the delivery of primary healthcare (PHC) services for those affected by HIV/AIDS. This presentation will explore the role of CBOs, with a focus on Indigenous oriented CBOS, in the provision of HIV/AIDS specific PHC services in selected OECD countries, (i.e. Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada) and to provide recommendations. Drawing from a review of literature, we compared the role of CBOs in addressing HIV/AIDS through PHC service delivery in five countries with HIV prevalence rates of or lower than 0.2%, similar population dynamics, rural and remote regions, Indigenous populations, and similar healthcare systems including CBOs. We compared the nation-states' commitment to CBOs in terms of: (1) meeting the needs of Most At Risk Populations (MARPs); (2) CBOs engagement in developing policy; and, (3) funding sources, programs and allocation of funding specific to CBOs. CBOs play a significant role in the delivery of HIV/AIDS-specific PHC services in all selected countries. While similarities do exist, we found that Canada, Australia, and to a lesser extent, New Zealand, could greatly benefit from the lessons learned in Norway and Sweden, where the coordination of CBOs by the nation/state health system, as well as the development of clear mandates are key to the provision of timely PHC services for those at risk of developing and those living with HIV/AIDS. Internationally, many countries with similar demographic characteristics and health systems could greatly benefit from strengthening CBOs through clearer mandates and dependable access to funding.