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Progress in AIDS/HIV Fight Uneven, UN Says

Margaret Besheer

   UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations says global HIV/AIDS targets for
   2020 will not be met, and that some progress could be lost, in part
   because of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seriously impacted the
   HIV/AIDS response.

   "Our report shows that COVID is threatening to throw us even more off
   course," Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS said Monday at
   the report's launch in Geneva. "COVID is a disease that is claiming
   resources -- the labs, the scientists, the health workers -- away from
   HIV work. We want governments to use creative ways to keep the fight
   going on both. One disease cannot be used to fight another."

   COVID-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

   UNAIDS says despite expanding HIV treatment coverage -- some 25 million
   of the 38 million people living with HIV now have access to
   antiretroviral therapy -- progress is stalling. Over the last two
   years, new infections have plateaued at 1.7 million a year, and deaths
   have only dropped slightly --from 730,000 in 2018 to 690,000 last year.

   The U.N. attributes this to HIV prevention and testing services not
   reaching the most vulnerable groups, including sex workers, intravenous
   drug users, prisoners and gay men.

   COVID-19 poses an additional threat to the HIV/AIDS response because it
   can prevent people from accessing treatment. The U.N. estimates that if
   HIV patients are cut off from treatment for six months, it could lead
   to a half-million more deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over the next year,
   setting the region back to 2008 AIDS mortality levels. Even a 20%
   disruption could cause an additional 110,000 deaths.

   HIV/AIDS patients who contract COVID-19 are also at heightened risk of
   death, as the virus preys on weakened immune systems.

   The World Health Organization warned Monday that 73 countries are at
   risk of running out of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs because of the
   COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO says 24 countries have reported having
   either a critically low stock of ARVs or disruptions in the supply
   chain.

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