Sub-Sahara Africa records decline in HIV infections & AIDS-related deaths in 2012

SUB-SAHARAN African countries, among which is Nigeria, have shown progress in the fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infections and deaths, a report recently released by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows.

UNAIDS Regional Fact Sheet 2012 shows a decline in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths of about 25 and 32 per cent in that order.

In 2011, according to the report, there were an estimated 1.8 million (1.6 million- 2 million) new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa compared to 2.4 million (2.2 million–2.5 million) new infections in 2001-a 25 per cent decline. Between 2005 and 2011, the number of people dying from AIDS-related causes in the region declined by 32 per cent, from 1.8 million (1.6 million–1.9 million) to 1.2 million (1.1 million–1.3 million). Since 2004, the number of tuberculosis (TB) related deaths among people living with HIV have also fallen by 28 per cent in the region.

This achievement, however, stigma and discrimination continue to impede effective HIV responses in many countries. Women in sub-Saharan Africa remain disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic, accounting for 58 per cent of all people living with HIV in the region in 2011.

Data collected through the People Living with HIV Stigma Index between 2008 and 2011, show that more than half of people living with HIV in Zambia (52 per cent), Rwanda (53 per cent) and Kenya (56 per cent) reported being verbally abused as a result of their HIV status. In Nigeria and Ethiopia, one in five people living with HIV (20 per cent) reported suicidal feeling because of their HIV status. In Cameroon, 13 per cent of people living with HIV reported being denied access to health services, including dental care, on the basis on their HIV status.

Notwithstanding, Nigeria still got some credits because in 2012, a Lagos high court ended a 17-year legal battle between Georgina Ahamefule and HIV/AIDS discrimination. This gained her the reputation “Breaker of Silence” and won her an award at the Journalist Against AIDS Red Ribbon Awards in Lagos. More on the positive sides, the report also revealed that the Prevention of Mother-To-Child-Transmission (PMTCT) programme among others to safeguard mother-to-child infections is yielding dividends. This was evident in progress made in preventing new infections among children between 2009 and 2011, where the number of children newly infected with HIV fell by 24 per cent.

Specifically, in six countries of the sub Saharan region - Burundi, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Togo and Zambia - the number of children newly infected with HIV declined by 40 - 59 per cent between 2009 and 2011. Fourteen additional countries in the region reported declines of 20-39 per cent. However, 11 countries saw more modest declines of 1–19 per cent. In four countries - Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau - the number of new HIV infections among children increased.

In 2011, coverage of services to prevent mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa reached 59 per cent (53 – 66 per cent). Six countries in the region achieved PMTCT coverage of more than 75 per cent: Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. Seven countries reported PMTCT coverage of less than 25 per cent, Angola, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Sudan. On expanded coverage of HIV testing and treatment, surveys conducted between 2004 and 2011 in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa found significant increases in the percentage of adults who had taken an HIV test in the previous 12 months and received their results. In Lesotho, for instance, an estimated 42 per cent of adult women reported that they had been tested for HIV in 2009 compared to about six per cent in 2004. In Rwanda, nearly 39 per cent of adult women were tested for HIV in 2010 compared to about 12 per cent in 2005.

In Ethiopia, an estimated 21 per cent of adult men were tested for HIV in 2011 compared to approximately two per cent in 2005. Approximately 23 per cent of adult men in Kenya were tested for HIV between 2008-9 compared to about eight per cent of men in 2003. Among countries surveyed, HIV testing rates tended to be higher among women than men, this may be due, in part, to increased availability of HIV testing in antenatal settings.

“Increases in HIV testing coverage can be linked to the scale up of antiretroviral therapy programmes and investment in a broad array of HIV testing strategies, such as provider-initiated testing and counseling, rapid testing technologies and home-based testing campaigns,” the report stated. The agency further noted that HIV treatment had also recorded significant progress. For instance, in 2011, an estimated 56 per cent of people eligible for HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa were receiving it- compared to a global average of 54 per cent.

Five countries have achieved more than 80 per cent coverage of HIV treatment, they are: Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Swaziland and Zambia. Benin, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe achieved more than 60 per cent coverage of HIV treatment. Coverage of antiretroviral therapy in three countries -Madagascar, Somalia and South Sudan- is less than 20 per cent.

“Wider access to treatment is saving lives: since1995, antiretroviral therapy has added approximately nine million life-years in sub-Saharan Africa. Available evidence continues to highlight the urgent need to improve retention rates for people enrolled in HIV treatment and care.” Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most heavily affected region in the global HIV epidemic. In 2011, an estimated 23.5million (22.1– 24.8 million) people living with HIV resided in the region, representing 69 per cent of the global HIV burden.

In 2011, 92 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV resided in sub-Saharan Africa.  More than 90 per cent of children who acquired HIV in2011 live in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite an overall shortfall in domestic AIDS investments, some countries have assumed a greater role in funding their own national HIV responses

In 21 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, external funding sources account for more than 50 per cent of HIV investments. However, some countries in the region are assuming a greater role in funding national responses to HIV.

For example: Botswana and South Africa cover more than 75 per cent of their national HIV responses through domestic public sources; Namibia, Gabon and Mauritius fund more than half of their national HIV responses. Kenya doubled its domestic HIV spending from 2008 to 2010; Togo doubled its domestic HIV spending from 2007 to 2010; and Rwanda doubled its domestic spending from 2006 to 2009.

culled from:Guardian