By Aisha Tamba
In her message to this year’s World Aids Day, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti revealed that 38 million people are living with HIV and 67% of them are living in the WHO African Region.
She stated that in 2019, more than 1 million people in the Region were newly infected with HIV, accounting for 60% of the global total, and sadly, 440,000 people in the Region died from HIV-related causes.
Dr Moeti noted that the theme of World AIDS Day this year is “global solidarity and shared responsibility”. She said ”because in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic we are seeing how important it is for the world to come together, with determined leadership from governments and communities to sustain and expand access to essential services, including HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care.”
She explained that the pandemic is making it even more challenging for countries to provide these services, particularly in areas affected by conflict, disasters, outbreaks and rapid population growth.
”This is on top of the fact that in the African Region new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are not reducing fast enough to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending AIDS epidemics by 2030.”
She pointed that Children living with HIV are not being adequately identified for HIV treatment. Girls and women aged 15–24 years account for 37% of all new HIV infections, and stigma and discrimination especially against key populations continue to create barriers to service access.
She acknowledged that Despite these challenges, significant progress is happening in African countries. ”2020 is a milestone year towards ending AIDS epidemics and 81% of people living with HIV know their status. Among them, 70% of adults and 53% of children are receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART). Eighty-five per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV are on ART, which protects their health and prevents HIV transmission to their newborn infants. ”
She commended the governments, partners and communities who have contributed to the progress on HIV in the Region, and come up with innovative ways to keep services going during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She advised governments and partners to come together, with the same level of urgency and leadership demonstrated in response to COVID-19, to increase domestic funding and strengthen health systems.
She alluded that there must be global solidarity and shared responsibility among all stakeholders to ensure integrated, people-centred, quality care and an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities for HIV services.
She advocated that rights of women and girls, and gender equality, must be at the centre to stop new HIV infections among girls and young women.
She also urged communities, especially people living with HIV, to be proactive in your self-care and in understanding how to prevent the spread of infections.
”This World AIDS Day let us all demand global solidarity and shared responsibility to maintain HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as we strive to achieve the 2030 targets, ” she concluded.
On 1st December every year, the global community comes together to mark World AIDS Day to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS.
In her message to this year’s World Aids Day, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti revealed that 38 million people are living with HIV and 67% of them are living in the WHO African Region.
She stated that in 2019, more than 1 million people in the Region were newly infected with HIV, accounting for 60% of the global total, and sadly, 440,000 people in the Region died from HIV-related causes.
Dr Moeti noted that the theme of World AIDS Day this year is “global solidarity and shared responsibility”. She said ”because in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic we are seeing how important it is for the world to come together, with determined leadership from governments and communities to sustain and expand access to essential services, including HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care.”
She explained that the pandemic is making it even more challenging for countries to provide these services, particularly in areas affected by conflict, disasters, outbreaks and rapid population growth.
”This is on top of the fact that in the African Region new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are not reducing fast enough to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending AIDS epidemics by 2030.”
She pointed that Children living with HIV are not being adequately identified for HIV treatment. Girls and women aged 15–24 years account for 37% of all new HIV infections, and stigma and discrimination especially against key populations continue to create barriers to service access.
She acknowledged that Despite these challenges, significant progress is happening in African countries. ”2020 is a milestone year towards ending AIDS epidemics and 81% of people living with HIV know their status. Among them, 70% of adults and 53% of children are receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART). Eighty-five per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV are on ART, which protects their health and prevents HIV transmission to their newborn infants. ”
She commended the governments, partners and communities who have contributed to the progress on HIV in the Region, and come up with innovative ways to keep services going during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She advised governments and partners to come together, with the same level of urgency and leadership demonstrated in response to COVID-19, to increase domestic funding and strengthen health systems.
She alluded that there must be global solidarity and shared responsibility among all stakeholders to ensure integrated, people-centred, quality care and an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities for HIV services.
She advocated that rights of women and girls, and gender equality, must be at the centre to stop new HIV infections among girls and young women.
She also urged communities, especially people living with HIV, to be proactive in your self-care and in understanding how to prevent the spread of infections.
”This World AIDS Day let us all demand global solidarity and shared responsibility to maintain HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as we strive to achieve the 2030 targets, ” she concluded.
On 1st December every year, the global community comes together to mark World AIDS Day to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS.
