Porto Alegre Charter
Rio Grande do Sul Alliance for Confronting HIV
The Porto Alegre Charter was created as a collective movement that brings together science, care, and social commitment to address one of the most persistent public health emergencies in Rio Grande do Sul: the HIV epidemic.
More than a document, it is an alliance among civil society, public managers, and the medical community, guided by the best scientific evidence and by one essential principle: placing people at the center of the response, with dignity, empathy, and equity.
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The HIV Epidemic in Rio Grande do Sul
Mortality Rate
(per 100,000 inhabitants)
7.3
RS
3.4
Brazil
Population Living with HIV
(per 100,000 inhabitants)
1.64%
POA
0.4%
Brazil
43%
of new cases in Rio Grande do Sul
1,300
new diagnoses
Porto Alegre in 2024
Rio Grande do Sul presents some of the most concerning HIV and AIDS indicators in Brazil. Recent data show that the state ranks among those reporting the highest number of cases in the country, while also presenting one of the highest AIDS mortality rates, with 7.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants — significantly above the national average.
In the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, studies indicate an HIV prevalence of approximately 1.64% of the population, exceeding the 1% threshold established by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an indicator for epidemic control. In 2024, Porto Alegre alone accounted for approximately 43% of all new cases in the state, with more than 1,300 diagnoses during the year.
These data reinforce the urgency of a coordinated, evidence-based response with broad social mobilization. At the same time, important advances — such as the expansion of PrEP and HIV testing — have demonstrated that it is possible to change the course of the epidemic when public policies, science, and community efforts are integrated.
Adjusted prevalence of HIV in the health macro-regions of Rio Grande do Sul
HIV prevalence (%)
HIV cases (weighted n)
Reference
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What is the Porto Alegre Charter?
The Porto Alegre Charter: Rio Grande do Sul Alliance for Confronting HIV is a collaborative initiative that seeks to integrate efforts among non-governmental organizations, municipal health departments, and medical associations. Its objective is to strengthen and expand access to the most effective HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies, promoting evidence-based actions such as universal testing, early diagnosis, immediate treatment, and combination prevention — including oral PrEP and long-acting injectable PrEP.
The Charter represents a collective commitment to life, science, and the reduction of health inequalities, recognizing that confronting HIV requires not only technology, but also sensitivity, listening, and integrated action.
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Launch of the Porto Alegre Charter
The official launch of the initiative took place during the 7th InfectoTchê, on May 23, 2026. At the event, the Rio Grande do Sul Society of Infectious Diseases (SGI) formally presented and delivered the Porto Alegre Charter, a document that consolidates the Rio Grande do Sul Alliance for Confronting HIV. It was a symbolic and strategic moment of mobilization, bringing together different stakeholders committed to confronting HIV across the state. (Read the article)
332
people have already signed the letter
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An Epidemic Marked by Social Inequality
The analysis of data from Rio Grande do Sul allows us to affirm that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the state is socially determined and disproportionately affects more vulnerable populations.
Regarding race and ethnicity, national studies indicate that the Black population experiences later diagnoses and higher AIDS-related mortality, with 62% of AIDS-related deaths occurring among Black individuals.
In Rio Grande do Sul, a state marked by historical racial inequalities, structural racism acts as a major barrier to healthcare access.
The territorial dimension is also central: the epidemic is concentrated in peripheral territories marked by poverty, with greater impact in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre and in the southern region of the state. Furthermore, the epidemic in the state presents distinctions related to gender, with significant prevalence among heterosexual populations and women.
Therefore, beyond healthcare technologies, it is essential to build an integrated and intersectoral response committed to confronting racism, sexism, LGBTQIAPN+phobia, economic and social inequalities, and the stigma surrounding the daily lives of people living with HIV and AIDS.
Organizing Entities
Rio Grande do Sul Society of Infectious Diseases
The Rio Grande do Sul Society of Infectious Diseases is a scientific organization dedicated to promoting knowledge, continuing medical education, and improving the quality of care in infectious diseases throughout the state. It works in specialist training, dissemination of best practices, and coordination of technical responses to major public health challenges.
Medical Association of Rio Grande do Sul
The Medical Association of Rio Grande do Sul (AMRIGS) is one of the state’s leading medical institutions, historically committed to professional recognition, medical ethics, and the qualification of healthcare services. The institution promotes continuing education, integration among specialties, and support for initiatives that directly impact the health of the population of Rio Grande do Sul.
AIDS NGO Forum of Rio Grande do Sul
The AIDS NGO Forum of Rio Grande do Sul (FOARS), founded on August 28, 1999, is a statewide civil society coalition composed of organizations, networks, and social movements engaged in the response to HIV/AIDS, STIs, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and the defense of human rights in Rio Grande do Sul. FOARS works in political advocacy, public policy monitoring, participation in councils and social accountability spaces, community leadership development, social mobilization, and institutional strengthening of civil society organizations. It also promotes prevention initiatives, community communication, stigma and discrimination reduction, and articulation with policymakers, legislators, social movements, and national and international organizations.
GAPA-RS
GAPA-RS (Support Group for AIDS Prevention of Rio Grande do Sul) is a pioneering non-governmental organization in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Brazil. Founded in 1989, the institution works to strengthen the response to the AIDS epidemic in the state, developing strategies for advocacy, social oversight, and political engagement, as well as prevention, assistance, communication, and the protection of the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Supporting Entities
The Porto Alegre Charter is an open and collaborative movement. The following may join and support this initiative:
Civil society organizations and NGOs working in the HIV response and in the defense of the rights of people living with HIV
Municipal Health Departments throughout Rio Grande do Sul
Medical specialty societies and scientific associations
Academic institutions, healthcare services, and other actors committed to public health
The active participation of different sectors is essential to expand the reach of prevention, diagnosis, and care strategies, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Medical Societies
Hospitals and Healthcare Institutions
Private Companies
Non-Governmental Organizations
Educational and Research Institutions
