Tribune. The fight against HIV needs a new lease of life. As we feared when the first cases of Covid-19 emerged, the pandemic has had devastating effects on progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. But, already before Covid-19, we had not achieved our targets in terms of reducing new HIV infections and deaths. Today, we have largely deviated from our trajectory.
Inequities, both within and between countries, continue to fuel HIV and AIDS. Persistent human rights abuses and gender inequalities are preventing us from making progress towards the goal of ending the virus by 2030.
The bulk of the 1.5 million new infections in 2021 affected the most marginalized and vulnerable people. Although there have never been so many people on antiretroviral treatment – 28.7 million in 2021 – it is sad to see that almost 10 million people worldwide are still living with HIV without being treated…
On the occasion of World AIDS Day [organisée le 1er décembre], we must renew our commitment to extend the response to HIV to all people at risk, especially the most disadvantaged communities. For example, barely half of children living with HIV receive the treatment they need to stay alive. It is unacceptable, but it is also unacceptable that thousands of children continue to be born with HIV, when we know how to avoid this.
Insufficient support
The impact of HIV on adolescent girls and young women is equally unfair. Every two minutes, a young woman contracts HIV. Four decades after the emergence of HIV, AIDS remains the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age – a deeply disturbing indicator that illustrates gender inequity in global health.
We have the tools to provide effective prevention and treatment services to those who need them most. Yet many are still denied access to services or do not receive optimal services. Think of the many children who receive antiretroviral treatment, but who take drugs that are dated, less effective and cause more side effects.
Combine this with insufficient or too fragile accompaniment to properly observe the treatment; you get less efficient viral load suppression. While expanding treatment coverage, we need to act faster to give children access to the latest antiretroviral drug regimens, including dolutegravir. This drug formulation is more effective, less expensive and better tolerated by children.
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