Located in Poto-Poto in the heart of a popular area of ​​the 3rd arrondissement of Brazzaville (Mfoa district), the new building includes 23 functional spaces designed to improve the working conditions of the teams responsible for coordinating the national response against HIV.

The building was designed according to modern environmental standards and is part of a broader program to strengthen the Congolese health system. Beyond its administrative function, this new headquarters symbolizes the renewed commitment of the Congo and its partners to the fight against HIV/AIDS. At the handover ceremony, UNDP officials expressed their hope that this location would become a true coordination center for prevention, testing, patient care, and monitoring of international objectives to combat the epidemic.

This modernization comes at a strategic time as Congo continues its efforts to improve access to antiretroviral treatments, strengthen testing and achieve global goals to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. "This new headquarters must be a beacon of hope in the prevention, testing and treatment of HIV," said Ms. Adama-Dian Barry, UNDP Resident Representative in Congo.

For health authorities, this infrastructure goes far beyond a simple administrative space. It embodies the commitment to modernizing coordination tools, improving working conditions for technical teams, and strengthening the effectiveness of interventions in the field. “This building is not just a set of offices. It is an investment in the future of public health in Congo and in the quality of the national response to HIV/AIDS,” emphasized the UNDP Resident Representative in Congo, Adama-Dian Barry, during the official handover ceremony.

A STRATEGIC TOOL FOR ACHIEVING THE 2030 GOALS

At a time when the international community has set itself the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, the leaders of the PNLS see this new headquarters as a strategic lever to accelerate prevention, screening and treatment efforts and to bring services closer to the population.

The building now houses the various units responsible for coordinating national HIV programs, monitoring epidemiological indicators, and working with technical and financial partners. “We now have a workspace adapted to our missions. This will improve the coordination of activities and provide better conditions for the teams who are engaged daily in the fight against HIV,” stated the director of the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS). This modernization comes as the Congo continues its efforts to improve access to antiretroviral treatment, strengthen early detection, and reduce new infections.

The vision for 2030: ending AIDS as a public health threat in Congo will require acceleration screening, strengthening combined prevention, reducing inequalities, continuing the integration of HIV services into primary health care, maintaining and sustaining achievements.

A SIGNAL OF HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

For organizations working with people living with HIV, this new infrastructure also brings hope. It demonstrates a renewed commitment from public authorities and international partners to maintain HIV as a national health priority.

While therapeutic advances now allow patients to live longer and in better conditions, many challenges remain: combating stigma, ensuring equitable access to care, supporting vulnerable populations, and securing sustainable funding. "The fight against AIDS is not won solely in hospitals or laboratories."

"It is also won through strong institutions, capable of coordinating actions and supporting the most exposed populations," recalled a civil society actor involved in the national response.

THE SYMBOL OF A STRUGGLE WHO CHANGES FACE

The inauguration of the new PNLS headquarters comes at a pivotal moment in the history of HIV in Congo. Long associated with fear and inevitability, the disease has now become a chronic condition whose control is made possible by scientific advances. In this context, this new building symbolizes an evolving fight: a fight that is no longer limited to responding to the health emergency, but is now part of a long-term vision based on prevention, innovation, and hope. “This headquarters must become a beacon for HIV prevention, testing, and care in Congo.”

“It represents our collective commitment to leave no one behind in the fight against the epidemic,” said Adama-Dian Barry. Through this achievement, Congo-Brazzaville sends a clear message: despite the remaining challenges, the HIV response continues to strengthen, driven by better-equipped institutions and a renewed ambition to build a generation free from AIDS.