Peshawar - The Association of People Living with HIV (APLHIV), a national network working to improve the lives of people living with HIV in Pakistan, continued its efforts this year despite shrinking global funding that threatened community programs and service continuity.
"From December 2024 to November 2025, APLHIV-Pakistan carried forward its mission with renewed purpose and a people-centered resolve, ensuring that community voices not only be heard but help shape Pakistan's HIV response," said Asghar Ilyas Satti, National Coordinator of APLHIV, in a press statement issued Sunday. He added that the organization remained focused on protecting hard-earned gains and prioritizing those most affected by the epidemic.
Satti noted that in a year defined by climate pressures and social challenges, APLHIV undertook a large-scale situational assessment to understand vulnerabilities in disaster-hit areas. The findings led to the reactivation of its Emergency Response Cell to support communities affected by flooding. Tree-planting activities, he added, also underscored the organization's growing commitment to environmental responsibility as part of its health advocacy work.
APLHIV successfully transitioned from Global Fund Grant Cycle 6 to Cycle 7, maintaining uninterrupted community-led HIV testing and treatment-for-all services in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and the Central Management Unit (CMU).
Another major milestone was the launch of the Activists' Coalition on TB Pakistan (ACT! PK), a new platform bringing together TB-affected communities to strengthen their voice within the national TB response. APLHIV also chaired the Annual Meeting of the CSO Partnership Forum, reinforcing cooperation and shared learning among civil society partners.
Through these initiatives, Satti said, APLHIV reaffirmed its role as a force for equity, resilience, and community leadership, helping to chart a more inclusive and sustainable HIV response for the country.
Throughout the reporting period, APLHIV-Pakistan facilitated access to treatment, care, and support services for people living with HIV while providing community-led oversight to ensure services remained equitable and responsive. Its toll-free helpline responded to more than 52,000 calls from across Pakistan, offering essential information, psychosocial support, and referrals to health and social services under the Global Fund grant.
APLHIV also provided mental health and psychosocial support to more than 1,300 individuals by phone and nearly 200 in person, ensuring emotional well-being remained a central component of HIV care. In addition, 4,500 nutritional support packages were distributed to households of people living with HIV.
The organization tracked 2,102 loss-to-follow-up cases, successfully re-linking 1,103 individuals to treatment centers.
To strengthen accountability and community participation, the Complaint Management Mechanism addressed 16 formal complaints, while 128 Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) visits were conducted.
These visits included 128 interviews with healthcare providers and 476 feedback interactions with beneficiaries to assess and improve the quality of services.
Through these sustained efforts, APLHIV continued to reinforce systems of care, amplify the voices of affected communities, and uphold its commitment to ensuring that every person living with HIV in Pakistan receives dignified, quality services and long-term support.