In 2016, a greater number of patients had access to treatment. And new contaminations are decreasing.
The fight against AIDS is progressing around the world. For the first time, more than half of people living with HIV are on treatment, according to the latest UNAIDS report presented on July 20. “Remarkable progress has been made in achieving the 90–90–90 goals,” says the United Nations program.
These goals are for 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, 90% of them to be treated, and 90% to have an undetectable viral load.
Goals can be achieved
Data from 168 countries show that globally more than two-thirds of all people living with HIV know their HIV status in 2016. Three-quarters of them are receiving antiretroviral therapy. And best of all, over 80% of those who are HIV positive have an undetectable viral load.
UNAIDS also welcomes the reduction in the number of AIDS-related deaths: to 1 million in 2016 against 1.9 million in 2005. The number of new infections is also falling, but at a rate too slow to stem the epidemic, she regrets.
The outlook for 2020 is, in fact, 550,000 new contaminations per year. An effort will therefore be necessary in terms of screening, and in particular for young people and for men who have sex with men (MSM).
Migrants have insufficient access to screening and prevention means such as condoms or pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Need for investments
And these efforts will not only be necessary in Africa. Europe and Asia have seen a surge in cases in recent years. The number of new infections jumped 60%. The phenomenon primarily affects Russia, but also Albania, Armenia and Kazakhstan.
Despite everything, UNAIDS remains optimistic. The progress made in recent years proves that “the global achievement of the three 90s by 2020 is both achievable and accessible if the gaps in the HIV testing and treatment cascade are tackled with determination,” assures us. UNAIDS. And on condition that investments start to rise again, he warns.
Last year, funding would have stagnated around 19 billion euros. However, it would take 7 billion more to curb the epidemic and achieve the 90-90-90 goals.
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