The HIV epidemic is at a turning point. The number of new infections and AIDS-related deaths are decreasing. More people are on treatment. Yet challenges remain. High demand and limited resources strain HIV services. Stigma and gender inequities limit access to essential HIV services for the most vulnerable.
Project SOAR conducts HIV operations research around the world to identify practical solutions to improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment services. This collaborative five-year project (2014–2019), funded by the U. S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the U. S. Agency for International Development, helps strengthen the skills of local research institutions and individuals to conduct and use high-quality research to improve programs and policies, and ensure more efficient and effective delivery of critical HIV services.
The Population Council leads Project SOAR in collaboration with Avenir Health, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Johns Hopkins University, Palladium, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Project SOAR’s portfolio consists of more than 50 research activities in 24 countries. Through our research, SOAR is working to:
- Produce a robust body of evidence to ensure that increasingly constrained resources are used efficiently and effectively to reach those most in need.
- Improve use of high-quality HIV services through adoption of best practices informed by SOAR’s operations research.
- Strengthen the capacity of local partners to set operations research agendas, conduct operations research, and use the findings to strengthen the HIV response.
By linking solid science with practical applications, our research is contributing to the achievement of UNAIDS’ global 90-90-90 testing and treatment goals.