Global-World HIV/AIDS Alliance (GHAA): charting healthy pathways for vulnerable populations

The Global-World HIV/AIDS Alliance (GHAA) is a collaboration of representatives from civil society, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and government agencies who are pooling resources specific to their respective organizations' missions to assist with enhancing education and early treatment for HIV/AIDS in marginalized and medically underserved communities worldwide. The Alliances' partnerships are divided into five geographically oriented operational groups (called clusters), which are the Africa Regional Cluster, Asia Regional Cluster, Europe Regional Cluster, Latin-Caribbean Cluster, and United States Cluster. The purpose of this collaborative effort, which relies on the expertise and services of agencies and institutions from 26 countries, is to mobilize experts from various fields to share lessons learned about effective (and ineffective) strategies for reaching those most neglected, to ultimately realize a decline in HIV/AIDS infection and death rates. It is hoped the sharing of culturally sensitive educational materials and prevention strategies will decrease new HIV cases, increase participation in clinical trials, and mobilize grassroots efforts to affect health policy. Emerging from GHAA is the Charting Healthy Pathways for Vulnerable Populations, a 15-year initiative scheduled for 2006 through 2020. The inaugural launching took place in Hyderabad, India, in February 2006, and the first biennial global conference was held in October 2007 in Richard's Bay, South Africa. Several regional cluster meetings are scheduled in various countries before the second global conference in China in October 2009. In the meantime, cluster countries' representatives will be engaging in various forms of dialogue to promote innovative prevention/awareness strategies, identification of resources and services to be rendered, potential research collaborations, and networking to engage others in the cause of GHAA as we move to become the "global voice for vulnerable HIV populations".