On June 13, 2023, Dr. John Nkengasong, the Global AIDS Coordinator for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), visited the National Council of People Living with HIV in Tanzania (NACOPHA). During his visit, he met with various youth groups, including university and secondary school platforms, networks of young people living with HIV, and other groups of people living with HIV (PLHIV).

Dr. Nkengasong had the opportunity to engage with the youth, understand their challenges, and identify areas for improvement to enhance HIV services. He commended the youth’s strategies and promised to support the creation of a youth advisory board to involve them in policy and strategic planning to achieve the goal of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030.

Emphasizing the importance of youth inclusion, Dr. Nkengasong stated, “Nothing for the youth without the youth.”

The youth also expressed the need for policy reviews to create a more supportive environment for the provision and accessibility of HIV services. They thanked Dr. Nkengasong for his visit and the support received from the U.S. government through PEPFAR, as well as from the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania.

This visit highlighted the critical role of young people in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the importance of their involvement in shaping policies and strategies to create a better future.