At the International AIDS Conference in Munich on July 22, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) launched a new report, “The Urgency of Now: AIDS at a Crossroads”, which underscores the importance of the current moment and calls on world leaders to take decisive action towards the 95-95-95 and 10-10-10 Goals. The report provides fresh data and case studies that emphasize that the policy decisions made this year will determine the fate of millions of people.
World leaders have pledged to reduce new infections to fewer than 370,000 per year by 2025, but in 2023, there are still 1.3 million new HIV infections, three times the threshold. Financial constraints and mounting anti-legal pressures are jeopardizing progress. Of the 39.9 million people living with HIV, 9.3 million are not getting the treatment they need. However, bold and necessary action by leaders to secure sustainable funding and protect human rights can stabilize the number of people living with HIV at 29 million by 2050. Otherwise, the number of people requiring lifelong support will rise to 46 million, up from 39.9 million in 2023.
The Report also notes treatment progress: 30.7 million people, more than three-quarters of people living with HIV, are getting the treatment they need. In 2010, treatment coverage was only 47%. This achievement has led to a reduction in AIDS-related deaths from 1.3 million in 2010 to 630,000 in 2023. However, the goal of reducing AIDS-related deaths to less than 250,000 by 2025 remains unmet.
“In all policies, in all research, you have to put people first. Unfortunately, there are reasons that delay progress in the fight against AIDS. And while Germany, where AIDS 2024 is taking place, is coping with the epidemic admirably, the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region is a cause for concern, where treatment is least available. But we believe – if the voice of UNAIDS is heard, it will be a game changer!”
Sharon Lewin, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS).
Despite significant progress in reducing new HIV infections by 39% since 2010 globally and 59% in Eastern and Southern Africa, new HIV infections are increasing in three regions: the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where new HIV infections have increased by 20% since 2010 and AIDS-related deaths by 34%. In our region, only half of the 2.1 million people living with HIV have access to treatment and only 42% have a suppressed viral load, the lowest in the world.
As of 2023, there are 140,000 new HIV infections in the region, with Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan accounting for 93% of these cases. Eight of the thirteen countries in the region report an increase in new infections.
The criminalization of HIV-related behaviors exacerbates the situation. All 16 countries in the region criminalize sex work, and 13 countries have penalties for “concealing HIV status,” “exposure,” or transmission. In seven countries, one can be imprisoned for possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use. Such laws increase HIV prevalence among key populations.
Eamonn Murphy, Director, Regional Support Teams for Asia Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions, UNAIDS, emphasizes: “Restrictive legal environments and stigma impede progress in the region. Restrictive laws, stigma, and aggressive policing push people away from health care. If people are driven underground, the HIV response will not succeed.”
Ganna Dovbakh, Executive Director of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association, adds: “Shrinking civic space and attacks on human rights jeopardize our response to the HIV epidemic, which is based on community- or civil society-driven service delivery. Addressing these interconnected challenges is essential for a sustainable response to the AIDS epidemic in our region.”
The war in Ukraine is also hurting the region’s HIV response, but the country remains committed to the HIV response. In 2023, 143,600 people received treatment. Collaboration between the government, civil society, and international donors has continued to deliver life-saving drugs, avoiding treatment interruptions.
The new UNAIDS Report calls on country leaders to develop sustainable plans for the HIV response to 2030 and beyond, including creating an enabling legal environment, supporting community-led HIV responses, and increasing domestic funding.
“Programs need to target people most affected by HIV, who are often the most marginalized and vulnerable. Community-based organizations must be adequately funded, supported, and empowered to provide services to people affected by HIV. Barriers of stigma and discrimination must be broken down. Actions today determine our accomplishments in the future!” said Winnie Bianima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
Watch video report by VirusOFF on our social media channels.
Links: Press Release | Global HIV Statistics | Key Epidemiology Slides. Ссылки: Press Release | Global HIV Statistics | Key Epidemiology Slides | Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Photo credits: UNAIDS, VirusOFF
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