Bukola Afeni
Editor
As the global community marks the 2020 World AIDS Day, to show support for people living with HIV, and to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti has implored major stakeholders in the health sector that with the same level of urgency and leadership demonstrated in response to COVID-19, to increase domestic funding and strengthen health systems.
Dr. Moeti while speaking on the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day; “global solidarity and shared responsibility” said in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to strengthen health systems.
“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.
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.”
The Regional Director, added 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.
” 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 continues to create barriers to service access”.
According to him, despite the challenges African countries have been faced with lately, significant progress are being recorded.
“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 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV are on ART, which protects their health and prevents HIV transmission to their newborn infants.
“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.”
Moeti, also demanded for global solidarity and shared responsibility to maintain HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, as we strive to achieve the 2030 targets.
“The rights of women and girls, and gender equality, must be at the centre to stop new HIV infections among girls and young women.
I urge communities, especially people living with HIV, to be proactive in your self-care and in understanding how to prevent the spread of infections”.
Every 1st December, global communities come together to mark the World Aids Day. Globally, there are 38 million people living with HIV and 67% of them are living in the WHO African Region.
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.
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