Coronavirus delays AIDS elimination in Africa: WHO Africa

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - The World Health Organization (WHO) reported Tuesday a delay in African countries in eliminating AIDS and difficulties that worsen the situation.

"The continent is unlikely to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, as many countries have fallen behind on key interim targets for eliminating the disease and challenges related to COVID-19 have exacerbated the situation," according to a WHO analysis.

WHO's Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti said the coronavirus pandemic has made it even more difficult to fight HIV and both diseases need to be tackled simultaneously.

She highlighted "tremendous progress" made by the continent with a 43% reduction in the number of new infections or a near halving of the number of AIDS-related deaths in the past decade.

Moeti believes the continent will not reach the end of AIDS unless governments step up the pace, increase resources and commit to strengthening fragile health systems.

By 2021, 87% of people living with HIV in Africa know their status, 77% are on treatment and 68% have a low viral load, according to the WHO.

The UN health agency reported that only Botswana, Cabo Verde, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe are on track to meet the 95-95-95 targets by 2025.

Those targets are 95% of people living with HIV who know their status, 95% in treatment and 95% with an undetectable viral load.

"Eswatini has surpassed the first two targets and is on track to meet the third,” noted the WHO.

It added that 48% of countries have not reported data on the third target because of the shortage of testing facilities, particularly in rural areas.

"A situation that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when testing centers focused on the new virus," the report said.

The figures are "a wake-up call to African governments" to stay focused on eradicating AIDS, said Moeti.