The World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday said that about 21.3 million people affected by the Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are now on anti-retroviral treatment to raise their life expectancy. Besides, the organisation said given the achievements recorded in a bid to stamp out the disease, it is indeed possible to eliminate its scourge with the combined efforts of governments, partners, health care providers, civil society and communities. The Regional Director of the WHO for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, disclosed this in her mes- sage to mark this year’s World AIDS day celebration in Makurdi, Benue State. Dr Moeti described this year’s World AIDS Day celebration slated for December 1, with the theme: “Take the right path: My health, my right!” as “a timely reminder of our responsibility to safeguard human rights as we pursue the goal of HIV elimination by 2030”.
The WHO’s Regional Director noted that African nations have made significant progress, with the change in the trajectory of the epidemic over the past decade, despite having the highest HIV burden globally, and comparatively fewer resources to fight the epidemic.
According to her, the region has witnessed a re- markable reduction in the number of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths, with the number of new HIV infections higher outside of sub-Saharan Africa for the first time in 2023. “The WHO African region is also the leading region globally in advancements towards the achievements of the 95-95-95 UNAIDS HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression targets, aimed at closing gaps in treatment coverage and outcomes. “Seven countries have al- ready achieved the targets, with the overall rating for the region currently at 90-82-76. “About 21.3 million peo- ple are now on antiretroviral treatment, raising their life expectancy. Botswana (silver tier status) and Namibia (bronze tier status), mean- while, have both been recognised for notably curbing mother-to-child HIV trans- mission rates, achieving the required indicators for the ‘Path to elimination of HIV’ criteria introduced in 2017.
“The African Region is also implementing effective biomedical HIV prevention methods, with countries quickly adopting and im- plementing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) recom- mendations, and ensuring increased access to options such as oral and long-acting injectable PrEP, and the dip- ivefrin vaginal ring. “However, despite the increased availability of sci- entific knowledge and tools for preventing new HIV infections, and effectively treating people living with HIV, the value of these in- novations depends on their universal accessibility. “This is an issue that re- quires further investments and policy reforms going forward.
“We have a collective ob- ligation to protect human rights, specifically ensuring that health care is available to everyone, without any discrimination, regardless of their HIV status, back- ground, gender or where they live. “Stigma and discrimina- tion cannot be allowed to undermine the gains and impede our progress”. She maintained that given the milestones so far recorded, it is imperative to eliminate HIV scourge with the combined efforts of governments, partners, health care providers, civil society and, crucially, com- munities which she said are key partners in co-creating strategies and jointly imple- menting interventions to address human rights-re- lated barriers to care.
