With Mixed Results towards 2020 HIV Target, UNAIDS Urges the Nations

According to a new report released by UNAIDS, there has been a remarkable reduction in new HIV infections, ending AIDS-related deaths and increasing reach of treatment. 

A decline of 16 per cent has been noticed in HIV infected patients since 2010. This stable improvement has been seen mostly in eastern and southern Africa. Around 1.7 million people are newly infected individuals with HIV.  

“We urgently need increased political leadership to end AIDS,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director at the press conference. Speaking on the report she also said, “This starts with investing adequately and smartly and by looking at what’s making some countries so successful.” We can end AIDS by focusing on people and not on diseases. To reach most affected people with HIV, creating road maps and taking a human rights-based approach can improve the scenario. 

Approximately, 78 per cent knew their HIV status and were accessing the treatment whereas nearly 86 per cent of people were virally suppressed who accessed the treatment. It is preventing transmission of the virus and are living a better lifestyle. 

Due to the expansion in the accessibility to the HIV treatment and improved delivery services, an immense decline in AIDS-related deaths is seen. Since 2010, the fall is nearly 33 per cent, which is 770,000, as per the latest report.  

Though this report is not similar for various regions like eastern Europe, central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa the progress is seen in eastern and southern Asia. 

Among men, the reach is comparatively low. In the survey, the most astonishing data came up, where less than 40 per cent men between the 25-34 age group of few high-burden countries were registered with very low viral suppression. 

The available global resources for AIDS have declined for the first time by nearly US$ 1 billion. This has happened due to splurge in donors and slow growth in domestic investments to remunerate the inflation. This data in the report depicted the widening gap between resource needs and availability. After which UNAIDS urges all 11 partners to put in action for progress towards ending AIDS. 

With this recent report, UNAIDS urged countries to make their efforts to fulfil the promise to deliver at least 30 per cent community-led service delivery made on ‘Ending AIDS’ by 2030 in the United Nations Political Declaration 2016. To deliver non-discriminatory, people-centred HIV prevention and treatment services in the HIV affected communities, there’s a need for adequate investments to be made for building the civil society organizations. 

UNAIDS is working closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as a part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

AIDS in India

Despite being a developing country, and having numerous other serious issues in her kitty, India has performed well in relation to meeting the UN’s target of Énding the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

This is most evident in the NACO-released HIV Estimations Report, 2017. The results confirm the national declining trend in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths corroborating India’s success story in curbing the epidemic. Annual new HIV infections have declined by more than 60% since 2000. Between 2010 and 2017, new infections have declined by 27 per cent; this is better than the global average of 16 per cent. While globally, scale-up of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) has resulted in a 48 per cent decline in deaths from AIDS-related causes since its peak, AIDS-related deaths have declined by almost 71% in India. However, the overall coverage of the ART programme in India is still only around 56 per cent against the global target of putting 82 per cent people living with HIV/AIDS on ART by 2020.

"India has a concentrated epidemic with substantially higher HIV prevalence in high-risk groups (HRG) than in the general population. HRG include FSW (female sex workers), MSM (men who have sex with men), IDUs (injecting drug users), and TGs (transgender people). As HIV incidence continues to be much higher in these high-risk groups, they must continue to be the primary target of HIV prevention efforts. An increased focus on those at highest risk in these key populations through “Targeted Interventions’, as well as on partners of HRGs, including bridge populations (i.e., migrants and truckers), is necessary to achieve the 2020 target of 75% reductions in new HIV infections," said Dr Shakti Kumar, Associate visiting consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.

She also added, "Critical target is the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV which, the current estimations show, is within striking distance in many States/UTs with national PMTCT coverage of 60% in 2016-17. And a major step that has recently been taken by the Government of India, which is expected to positively impact on results, is the integration of the HIV programme with the TB programme."

Talking about the Lack of resources and funds, she said, "It will always be a problem in the second largest populated country in the world. As per the NACO Annual report 2016-17, the total approved budget of NACP-IV (National AIDs Control Program 2012-17) was Rs 13,415 crores. This comprises Government Budgetary Support, Externally Aided Budgetary Support from the World Bank and the Global Fund, and Extra Budgetary Support from other Developmental Partners."