Description

HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2026-01-HIV-03-two-stage

Expected Impact

Projects funded under this topic should contribute towards the reduction of the burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa and thus contribute to achieving SDG 3 ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ through increased international cooperation among researchers and funders, catalyse research synergies, and leverage resources and investment.

Proposals are expected to include the effective in-kind and/or financial contribution of contributing partners, in order to produce more meaningful and significant effects enhancing the impact of the related research activities.

Background

Despite the shifting global health research funding landscape and resources increasingly being re-focused to other emerging (health) priorities, HIV continues to be a major driver of morbidity and mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that is home to nearly 70% of all people living with HIV worldwide. A growing challenge for this region is the increasing number of people living with HIV and related co-infections and co-morbidities. This includes people living with HIV who are infected with another infectious pathogen (in particular but not limited to tuberculosis, malaria, genital schistosomiasis, hepatitis and human papillomavirus) as well as people living with HIV having a non-communicable disease (NCDs), in particular but not limited to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. HIV co-infections and co-morbidities are typically associated with polypharmacy which complicates treatment decisions, increases the serious risk of drug-drug interactions and influences the effectiveness or safety of treatments. According to the World Health Organization^[3], 73% of all NCD deaths are in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) making NCDs a major cause of mortality. There is therefore an urgent need to improve prevention, treatment and clinical management of people living with HIV and related co-infections and co-morbidities by accelerating clinical research for new/improved (combination) products and clinical management practices. Given the importance of patient-centred approaches to healthcare, studies examining how prevention or treatment of non-communicable diseases can be integrated into models of care established for the management and treatment of HIV are essential.

Expected Outcomes

Proposals submitted under this topic should aim for delivering results that are directed, tailored towards and contributing to ALL of the following expected outcomes:

1. Improved prevention and/or treatment outcomes for co-infection(s) or co-morbidity/ies to HIV in SSA.
2. Better integration of healthcare services and support programs related to HIV co-infection(s) or co-morbidity/ies for people living with HIV in different healthcare systems in SSA.
3. Improved management of people living with HIV and related co-infection(s) or co-morbidity/ies, particularly safer polypharmacy use.
4. Enhanced and informed public health management decision-making by policy makers and public health authorities with regards to people living with HIV and related co-infection(s) or co-morbidity/ies.