Their lives transformed following an HIV diagnosis

A group of individuals gathered in an outdoor space, engaged in thoughtful conversation under the shade.

In Sudan, approximately 48,000 people are living with HIV, a condition that remains poorly understood, leading to widespread discrimination. Hanadi Babiker Faki Ali, who has been living with HIV since 2012, embraces a vibrant and fulfilling life. She is a devoted mother to three healthy children and holds the position of Secretary-General at the Kessala branch of Sudan's Association of People Living with HIV. Hanadi is committed to ensuring that others have the same opportunities she has had to build meaningful family and work lives.

"During my time as a counselor at the Association, I witnessed the profound loneliness experienced by those living with HIV, especially their struggles with the possibility of marriage," Hanadi recalls. "This inspired me to propose a new initiative focused on facilitating marriages." Supported by funding, supplies, and training from UNDP through the Global Fund, the Association had already initiated social events to create a network of support among individuals living with HIV.
However, connecting them for marriage presented an entirely new and challenging endeavor, one that could profoundly alter lives but might also encounter resistance.

With stigma still prevalent, a recent UNAIDS survey revealed that 66% of individuals would refuse to purchase groceries from someone living with HIV. Families often oppose the weddings of those affected, driven by concerns regarding caregiving obligations and the potential for transmitting the virus to future children. Global Fund partners with UNDP to secure HIV medications in Sudan, ensuring distribution even in the most conflict-ridden regions. Hanadi tackled both the fears and practical barriers to these marriages. "Upon identifying two individuals interested in marrying, we reach out to organizations and philanthropists for financial backing and formally approach the bride's family," she explains.

"If the family consents, the marriage proceeds as usual. If they decline, we celebrate the ceremony at the Association's office. These weddings are festive occasions, and for me, witnessing these joyful moments is a profound achievement, illustrating the realization of happiness that once seemed unattainable." "Despite the challenges posed by ongoing conflict, I have overseen more than 50 marriages in Kassala since starting this initiative in 2015, uniting individuals from various states across Sudan. All of these couples have welcomed healthy children, with three families naming their daughters 'Hanadi' as a token of gratitude," she proudly states. After the marriages, the Association provides psychological support and health evaluations, including viral load tests and HIV assessments for children at six and 18 months. They also assist couples in adhering to their antiretroviral therapy, which is vital for preventing mother-to-child transmission, although this has become significantly more challenging due to the war. A recent UNDP evaluation showed an 84% decrease in facilities offering HIV services since the outbreak of violence, leaving many patients displaced and cut off from their trusted healthcare providers and medications.

The Global Fund assists UNDP in sourcing HIV medications throughout Sudan, facilitating their distribution, even in severely impacted areas. Meanwhile, the Association collaborates with volunteers who traverse conflict zones using public transport to deliver medicines, sometimes storing supplies at their homes to shield them from theft. This work can be perilous and difficult, yet Hanadi and her team remain resolute in their mission, driven by the impact they can make in people's lives. When a 20-year-old friend of Hanadi's contracted HIV and was ostracized by her family and community, Hanadi orchestrated a connection with an engineer living with HIV from a neighboring state.

They married, and when she became pregnant, Hanadi provided support to help her adhere to her preventive treatment plan for 18 months. Then came the moment of truth. "Waiting for the test results was nerve-wracking," Hanadi recalls. "The mother was extremely anxious, so I held the baby in my arms as we awaited the outcome. When the doctor announced the child was healthy, it was an indescribable moment of joy. The mother cried, the father offered gratitude in prayer, and everyone around them rejoiced." Today, the couple remains together, and their daughter is now two years old. UNDP's efforts in the prevention and treatment of HIV are made possible through funding from the Global Fund, which also encompasses initiatives to combat tuberculosis (TB).

This disease has been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict, which has devastated state medical services and displaced nearly 12 million people into overcrowded and unsanitary environments that facilitate TB transmission. Even though TB is preventable and treatable, it continues to claim over 1.5 million lives every year, making it the deadliest infectious disease globally and closely linked to poverty and conflict.

In Sudan, roughly 26,000 individuals are diagnosed with TB annually. UNDP collaborates with national authorities to enhance TB testing and treatment, delivering services to regions disrupted by war or overwhelmed by incoming populations fleeing violence. We provide mobile X-ray units to reach the most affected areas and train medical personnel to operate them, resulting in quicker diagnoses and improved treatment outcomes. Additionally, UNDP works with national authorities to bolster health systems. This includes procuring medical supplies worth $3.5 million since 2023 and improving logistics to ensure these supplies reach those in utmost need. We import essential equipment, ranging from medical waste incinerators that improve community health to oxygen machines that broaden treatment possibilities, and we train frontline healthcare workers while supporting their teams. In partnership with the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Population Fund, we operate fully equipped mobile medical units across four states. These units provide laboratory services and primary care to communities lacking access, even establishing traveling maternity wards to aid in reducing maternal mortality rates, which remain high due to a scarcity of skilled personnel and emergency care.
Edited by Bosman