1 December 2021, Cairo
On World AIDS Day, the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is determined to confront the challenges that drive new HIV infections in the Region, and to reach people who are in need of HIV testing and treatment services.
The World AIDS Day campaign aims to encourage people at risk of HIV to get tested, and WHO and UNAIDS are jointly calling for an HIV testing month. “With this HIV testing month, let us renew our commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and achieve our regional vision of health for all by all,” said WHO’s Regional Director, Dr Ahmed
Al-Mandhari, in his message on the occasion of the World AIDS Day.
After more than 40 years, HIV continues to kill people. By the end of 2020, it had claimed more than 240 000 lives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The Region faces the fastest growing HIV epidemic of any WHO region, and also has the lowest rates of access to testing and treatment services. One of the main reasons for this is poor access to diagnosis, with only 40% of those infected with HIV in the Region knowing their HIV status.
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted HIV services in many countries, slowing down efforts to scale up HIV diagnosis and treatment. In 2020, Member States carried out only a third of the number of HIV tests that they conducted in 2019, and countries that had made tangible progress towards targets experienced setbacks.
“HIV testing must remain a priority for all countries to quickly close the gap. People who know they are living with HIV can access quality care and treatment that enables them to live a normal, healthy life,” Dr Al-Mandhari emphasized. “Our testing approaches need to be guided by the context and nature of the epidemics we face.”
The 2021 regional campaign conducted around the World AIDS Day is focused on leveraging social media platforms, particularly Facebook, to send targeted messages to mobilize people at risk of HIV to seek testing services in a safe and confidential manner. Once they have been diagnosed as HIV positive, people living with HIV must be referred for treatment.
“Ending AIDS by 2030 is a global priority as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, and is aligned with WHO’s regional vision of health for all by all. World AIDS Day reminds us all of our commitment to put people’s health first in spite of the many challenges we face,” said Dr Al-Mandhari. “It is an opportunity to review progress and address challenges in our efforts to end the HIV epidemic.”
Despite the fact that community-based testing programmes are operating in an increasing number of countries, more stigma-free HIV testing services are still needed in every country. HIV testing and subsequent treatment save lives, and should therefore be integrated within essential service packages. This is in line with commitments to universal health coverage, to leave no one behind and provide health for all by all.