HIV: MSF denounces a “cruel lack” of treatment in Africa

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is sounding the alarm. In his last report

, the NGO warns about the lack of antiretroviral treatment (ARV), indicated in people with HIV, in West and Central African countries. The association denounces the neglect suffered by this African region. According to them, “by focusing on countries with the highest HIV prevalence (…) the international community risks not paying the necessary attention to regions where large numbers of patients still do not have access to treatment” . MSF calls for international humanitarian and health mobilization.

Humanitarian emergency

According to Dr Eric Goemaere, HIV referent for the association, “the needs remain enormous” in these regions, “where three out of four people still do not have access to HIV treatment, ie five million people”. By 2020, MSF aims to provide antiretroviral treatment to fifteen million people with AIDS around the world. And according to the NGO, “a third of them are in this central and western region of Africa”. Dr Eric Goemaere stresses that “letting the disease continue its deadly spread in West and Central Africa would be a serious strategic mistake”. This could indeed compromise the international fight against AIDS.

9 out of 10 children do not have access to treatment
As the report puts it, “the HIV prevalence rate in the West and Central African region is relatively low”. 2.3% of the population is believed to be infected with the virus. However, this rate is three times higher than the world rate of 0.8%. In addition, “21% of people who contract the virus each year, and nearly half of children born infected, live in this region.” 9 out of 10 children do not have access to treatment. The urgent deployment of medical means seems to be essential in view of the presence of the virus.

For the association, “stigmatization”, stock shortages, excessively high costs and slowness of services constitute obstacles to access to care. In its report, MSF proposes alternatives and a program to overcome the lack of care in this African region. “We have a unique opportunity to fill the treatment gap in Africa (…) we must not let it pass (…). If the international community is serious about defeating AIDS, it must broaden the scope of the program, ”said Dr Mit Philips, MSF health policy advisor, in a statement.