HIV Care Services Toward the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals in Africa

This chapter is based on a scoping review of important contributions to the literature on key populations and their access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care services in Africa and the associated implications for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3). While key populations constitute a small proportion of the general population globally and in Africa, in 2020, 65% of all new HIV infections were from key populations (sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender people) and their partners. To enhance progress toward achieving HIV/AIDS epidemic control and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, it is critical that key populations have increased access to HIV care services. The focus of SDG 3 also includes ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic and reducing the number of new HIV infections. The chapter captures the socio-legal environment for most key population groups in Africa. It also examines the attitudes of healthcare providers, notes the innovative approaches to enhance HIV care service access and provides some recommendations for improvement. While key populations are disproportionately affected by HIV, access to HIV care remains a challenge. Based on a scoping review of relevant literature, the chapter explores the extent to which the emergence of the Corona virus (COVID-19) and related restrictive measures have further widened the inequalities and gaps in accessing HIV care services by this vulnerable group. In addition, the challenges faced by key populations in accessing HIV and health care services are described. The chapter also describes efforts toward the attainment of SDG 3 and examines strategies to enhance access to HIV services, reduce new HIV infections, sustain gains made in HIV programming, and ensure that these are not reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter concludes with recommendations and a conclusion on how to enhance access to HIV care for key populations and together with that, the attainment of SDG 3.