30th November, 2011
HIV and AIDS remains one of the top public health threats in Africa. At the end of 2010, approximately 75% of 34 million people living with HIV came from sub-Saharan Africa, where AMREF operates. Women are more vulnerable than men; 60% of people infected with HIV in Africa are women.
World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 every year to focus the world’s attention on AIDS. It provides an opportunity for people across the globe to unite in the fight against HIV, to show their support for people living with the virus and to remember those who have died. As Africa’s leading health development organisation working with communities, AMREF shares this year’s global theme of ‘getting zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths’.
The proportion of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa who were tested for HIV increased from 43% in 2008 to 51% in 2009, significant progress in one year (WHO/UNICEF 2010). AMREF has trained huge numbers of health care providers in Africa on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, Voluntary Counselling and Testing and Anti-Retroviral Therapy. For the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; AMREF and its partners continue to pay maximum attention to expanding and sustaining PMTCT programmes in fixed health facilities and outreach programmes.
Homophobia, stigma and discrimination still persist and negatively affect the health and well-being of Men Having Sex with Men, and other most-at-risk populations. AMREF’s work involves distribution of community-focused information and education materials for the reduction of stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, and strengthening the capacity of district and community structures to promote sexual and other behavioural risk reduction interventions. AMREF and its partners address this issue at different levels of society, including government bodies, health care settings, work places and schools in order to increase opportunities for improving the health of most at risk populations and ensuring equal access to health services. AMREF will increase advocacy with governments for development of unbiased policies for most-at-risk populations so that they can enjoy equal status in the society.
AMREF advocates for universal access to ARV to all eligible patients and for more research to be done on ARV prevention and treatment. AMREF has mobilised resources from the Global Fund, PEPFAR and others donors for the expansion of universal access to ARVs. A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health has confirmed that treating HIV-positive people with ARV drugs reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to HIV-negative sexual partners by 96%.
Encouraging data from UNAIDS shows that new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have fallen to the lowest levels and more than 6.6 million people now have access to HIV treatment. However, these gains are threatened by a decline in resources available for HIV prevention and treatment in low- and middle-income countries. This could now be further aggravated by the recently revised resource forecast, which shows a shortfall in funding available through the Global Fund.
To contribute towards achievement of the core global goals, AMREF calls upon national governments, institutional donors and the private sector to continue supporting the fight against HIV and AIDS. The job is only half done. We cannot stop until we ensure that there is lasting health change in the lives of African communities, by stopping the spread of HIV, and ensuring access to health care and support for those who are affected and infected.
Dr Abebe Aberra
AMREF Programme Leader, HIV/AIDS/TB
