Africa Improves On HIV Cases But Key Targets Still Inaccessible - WHO

Africa has made significant progress on tackling the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) but key targets on ending the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by 2030 are still unattainable, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2021) Africa has made significant progress on tackling the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) but key targets on ending the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by 2030 are still unattainable, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

The analysis conducted by the WHO finds that Africa reduced new HIV infections by 43% and almost halved AIDS-related deaths over the last ten years. Nevertheless, the WHO suggests that key targets on ending AIDS cannot be achieved due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and countries lacking progress on tackling diseases.

To achieve the 2030 global development goal of ending AIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in 2020 introduced 95-95-95 targets by 2025. These targets include 95% of infected people know about their infection, 95% of those who know about the disease get treatment and 95% of people getting treatment have their viral load suppressed.

According to the WHO scorecard on progress on tackling AIDS, so far African countries reported 87% of people knowing about the infection, 77% of those getting treatment and only 68% have low viral load. The WHO said only nine African countries are on track to reach the 95-95-95 targets by 2025.

"This scorecard is a wake-up call for African governments to stay focused on ending AIDS. Africa has come so far, and we know how to end AIDS. But unless governments make a fresh push, increasing resources and commitment to strengthening their fragile health systems we will not reach the last mile," WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said.

The WHO said main issues on the way of reaching these targets are the scarcity of treatment and viral load testing centres, the lack of funding and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, making these centres to focus on detecting and tackling coronavirus.