Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections
The WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (STAG-HHS) previously known as Technical Advisory Committee (STAC-HHS), comprises expert individuals from all WHO regions and key stakeholder groups, as appointed by the WHO Director-General.

Mission

The mission of the STAG-HHS is to contribute to the global response towards elimination of HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs as public health threats, by providing state-of-the art scientific, strategic and technical advice to WHO.

Goal

The goal of the STAG-HHS is to provide the WHO Director-General with independent strategic and technical advice on WHO’s programme of work to scale up and maximize the impact of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for HIV, viral hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The current STAG-HHS has met predominantly to advise WHO on the content and implementation of the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs for the period 2016–2021 and most recently to advise on the content and development process of the new global health sector strategies for the period 2022-2030, noted with appreciation by the Seventy-Fifth World Health Assembly in May 2022 (resolution WHA75.20 ). 

Prior to the 2016–2021 strategies, WHO convened separate STACs for HIV and viral hepatitis. 

In October 2020 STAC-HHS, with the support of STI experts, made the following general comments and recommendations to respond to the major challenges and unfinished business in the 3 responses, and for a renewed focus on prevention, especially primary prevention. More details of the meeting and complete group of recommendations can be accessed below under the section "Meeting documents".

In September 2021, the STAC-HHS, made several cross-cutting recommendations regarding the draft global health sector strategies for 2022–2030. Furthermore, the STAC-HHS also made a series of more specific observations and recommendations that apply across the three epidemics. These recommendations are grouped thematically in the following areas: 

  • Integration, synergy and disease-specific actions
  • Responding to COVID-19, funding and political contexts
  • Accountability, monitoring and indicators
  • Community involvement and people-centred approaches
  • Proposed additions, changes and stronger emphasis

More details of the recommendations and outcomes of the discussion during the meeting can be accessed below under the section "Meeting documents".  

The STAG-HHS will meet in person in the fists quarter of 2023 to talk through how the recently adopted global health sector strategies and associated regional plans and instruments were considered by Member States and outline the plans for the first stage of implementation.

Meeting documents

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