TechChange and PAC Embark on New Chapter of Game-changing Public Health Campaign

The science around human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention has changed dramatically in recent years. For example, did you know this revolutionary fact?

People living with HIV who are on treatment and have an undetectable viral load have zero risk of transmitting HIV. Undetectable= Untransmittable. 

In 2016, Prevention Access Campaign (PAC) mobilized researchers and activists to build a scientific consensus on U=U and launched a global movement to disseminate the gamechanging fact. In 2022, PAC partnered with the Centers for Disease Control Division of Global HIV and TB to create a definitive guide on how to communicate U=U effectively– designed for advocates, health policy makers, and healthcare professionals to design, implement, and scale up U=U country- level program activities. Now, PAC is working with TechChange to transform the guide into targeted, engaging, and behavior-changing virtual and in-person training for diverse global audiences.

U=U University will offer in-person and online modules on the core message, guiding principles, and instruction on creating U=U communications and addressing hesitancy and resistance to U=U.

The modules– adapted to different country and regional contexts– will showcase the step-by-step process of communicating, designing, implementing, and scaling up U=U campaigns. The training seeks to provide a safe space to touch upon vital and sensitive topics such as homophobia and bias, which participants themselves may need to confront. 

U=U has been proven to support HIV prevention, treatment outcomes, and a reduction in stigma. 

This dynamic training will be offered to people across the globe, with a special emphasis on reaching advocates, health officials, and health care professionals. Training will be delivered virtually and in-person, via a global pool of expert trainers, trained to deliver the modules in local contexts. U=U University is an unprecedented opportunity to transform the lives of millions of people and radically transform the field: 

• Well-being of people living with HIV: Change the social, sexual, and reproductive lives of people living with HIV by freeing them from the shame and fear of sexual transmission to their partners.
• HIV stigma: Dismantle the HIV stigma that has been destroying lives and impeding progress in the field since the beginning of the epidemic.
• Treatment goals: Reduce the anxiety associated with testing, and encourage people living with HIV to stay on treatment to stay healthy and prevent transmission.
• Universal access: Offer a public health argument to increase access and remove barriers to treatment, care, and diagnostics to save lives and prevent new transmissions.

U=U University seeks to empower individuals with the essential knowledge and skills needed to promote U=U in a way tailored to their context. Content will be delivered through different modalities – self-paced, blended, synchronous, fully virtually or in person – allowing folks to interact with the content in a way that suits their individual learning style. 

TechChange has a deep background in working with online public health instruction. Our specialist Public Health team developed the world-leading digital health training: Digital Health: Planning National Systems (DHPNS), which has been delivered globally, with over 500 course graduates from over 70 countries, the majority in low- to moderate- income countries. Evidence shows that the course has influenced national- and regional-level policy and action in multiple geographies. 

TechChange looks forward to applying our specialized learning methodologies to U=U University to drive behavior change and influence policy and action globally.