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UNAIDS calls for urgent global action as progress against HIV falters – Global issues

Globally, the number of new infections fell by just 3.6% from 2020 to 2021, the smallest annual decline in new HIV infections since 2016, it said. UNAIDS.

The agency warned that progress in prevention and treatment has stalled worldwide, putting millions of lives at risk.

“In 2021, There were 1.5 million new HIV infections and 650,000 AIDS-related deaths. This leads to 4,000 new HIV infections every day“Mary Mahy, Director of UNAIDS who Data for Impact said.

“That’s 4,000 people will need to be tested, start treatment, avoid infecting their sexual partners and continue on treatment for the rest of their lives. It also translates to 1,800 deaths a day from AIDSor one death per minute. “

Distribution of new HIV infections by population group.

Source: UNAIDS

Distribution of new HIV infections by population group.

Danger signal

“In Danger,” the title of the latest report of the United Nations Joint Program on HIV and AIDS, coincides with the International Conference on AIDS that begins this Wednesday in Montreal.

It shows the new way HIV infections are now rising in places where they were previously down, in places like Asia and the Pacific, the most populous region in the world. In East and South Africa, rapid progress from previous years has slowed significantly in 2021.

Despite effective HIV treatment and tools to prevent and detect infection, the pandemic continues to thrive in COVID-19against the backdrop of mass displacement, and other global crises that have strained resources and reshaped development funding decisions, to the detriment of HIV programmes.

“If current trends continue, we expect that, in 2025, we will have 1.2 million new HIV infections that year. Again, that’s more than three times the 2025 target of 370,000 people,” said Ms Mahy.

Tips to avoid viruses

Voluntary male circumcision, which can reduce infections in men by 60%, has slowed over the past two years, according to a UNAIDS report.

The United Nations agency also found treatment deployment slowed year-on-year. One of the most promising preventive interventions is pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP .).) as it eliminates the risk of virus transmission after exposure.

According to the report, the number of people accessing PrEP has doubled between 2020 and 2021, from around 820,000 to 1.6 million, mainly in South Africa. But it’s still far beyond the UNAIDS target of 10 million recipients PrEP by 2025, at the cost of pushing it out of reach for many people around the globe.

A mother and her nine-year-old son, both HIV positive, visit a health clinic in Mubende, Uganda.

© UNICEF / Karin Schermbrucke

A mother and her nine-year-old son, both HIV positive, visit a health clinic in Mubende, Uganda.

Unfair-play

Sharp inequalities within and between countries have also stalled progress in the HIV response, and the disease itself has increased vulnerabilities.

With a new infection occurring every two minutes in 2021 among young women and adolescent girls, which is a demographic that remains particularly exposed.

The impact of HIV by sex, particularly in Africa, becomes ever more apparent during COVID, with millions of girls dropping out of school, teen pregnancy rates skyrocketing and gender-based violence, disrupting vital HIV prevention and treatment services.

In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women are three times more likely to contract HIV than boys and young adults.

Primary School Beats HIV

Studies show that when girls go to school and complete their education, their risk of HIV infection is significantly reduced. “Millions of girls have been denied the opportunity to go to school as a result of the COVID crisis, millions will probably never return and that has serious impacts, as well as serious consequences,” explains Ben. economic crisis has caused” Philips, Director of Communications at UNAIDS.

Racial diagnostic disparities also exacerbate HIV risk. Rates of new HIV diagnoses have fallen more among white populations than among blacks and Indigenous people in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.

“Similarly, in 2021 Key population groups such as sex workers and their clients, gay men, injecting drug users and transgender people, account for 70% of new HIV infections‘ said Miss Mahy.

A nine-year-old HIV-positive girl paints a picture at a UNICEF-supported day care center that provides psychosocial care in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

© UNICEF / Giacomo Pirozzi

A nine-year-old HIV-positive girl paints a picture at a UNICEF-supported day care center that provides psychosocial care in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Law reform in the slow lane

recognized by the UN agency Six countries have abolished laws criminalizing same-sex relationships.

At least nine people have offered legal avenues to change gender markers and names that don’t require undergoing sex reassignment surgery.

However, progress in removing punitive laws that increase the risk of HIV infection and death for the marginalized is still not enoughincluding LGBTI people, people who inject drugs and sex workers.

“We have seen countries change their laws to allow harsher sentences for HIV exposures,” said Liana Moro, Monitoring and Reporting Program Technical Officer at UNAIDS. .

8 billion dollar question

Overseas development assistance for HIV from domestic donors, excluding the United States, has been plummeting 57% over the past decade While contributions from those governments to all other sectors increased 28% during the same period, according to the report.

Ms. Moro said that UNAIDS needs $29.3 billion by 2025. “In 2021, there is $21.4 billion for HIV programs in low- and middle-income countries. We are $8 billion short of our 2025 target.”

HIV-infected adults and children.

Source: UNAIDS

HIV-infected adults and children.

Safe bet

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said in a statement: “Leaders can still get the response on track to end AIDS by 2030.”Ending AIDS will cost much less than not ending AIDS. Importantly, the actions needed to end AIDS will also help the world better prepare to protect itself against future pandemic threats.”

UNAIDS estimates that 38.4 million people will be living with HIV by 2021. One 70% of them are being treated and 68% have successfully suppressed the virus.

UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank – and working closely with global and national partners to work towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable development goals.

The AIDS pandemic takes lives every minute in 2021…

  • 650,000 deaths, becoming the leading cause of death in many countries;
  • 2021 sees more than 1.5 million new infections, marking the smallest annual decline in new HIV infections since 2016;
  • New infections in women and girls happen every two minutes in 2021;
  • In sub-Saharan Africa, girls and young women are three times more likely to contract HIV than adolescent boys and young men;
  • Developmental assistance for HIV treatment from non-U.S. bilateral donors has decreased by 57% over the past decade;
  • Debt repayments to the world’s poorest countries would amount to 171% of total spending on health care, education and social protection combined by 2021 – leaving countries’ capacity to respond to AIDS severely compromised. suffocate.

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