Senegal Reports an HIV/AIDS Prevalence Rate of 0.3%
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Synopsis
The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Senegal has been reported at an impressive 0.3%. This is largely due to the accessibility of antiretroviral therapy and collective efforts, although new infections among youth remain concerning.
Key Takeaways
- HIV/AIDS prevalence in Senegal is 0.3%.
- 70% of individuals have access to antiretroviral therapy.
- New infections are rising among the 15 to 24 age group.
- 42.3 million global deaths due to HIV/AIDS.
- By 2025, aim for 95% of people living with HIV to be diagnosed.
Dakar, Feb 18 (NationPress) The HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Senegal is currently at 0.3 percent, according to Safietou Thiam, the Executive Secretary of the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS.
This low rate can be credited to the 70 percent accessibility to antiretroviral therapy (ARV) for individuals affected by the disease, alongside the collective efforts of the population, especially the youth of Senegal, and the initiatives taken by the Senegalese government, Thiam stated during the inauguration of the Youth Mobilisation Week Against AIDS in Dakar.
Nevertheless, she highlighted the inconsistencies in HIV prevalence among the youth, indicating an increasing trend of new infections in the 15 to 24 age group.
In Senegal, 70 percent of new infections have been reported among individuals under the age of 35, Thiam remarked, emphasizing that the lack of discussion surrounding the sexual health of young girls and boys renders them more susceptible to infections like HIV/AIDS, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The World Health Organisation identifies HIV as a virus that compromises the body's immune system, with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) marking the most severe stage of the infection.
HIV specifically targets the body’s white blood cells, which diminishes the immune system's effectiveness, leading to increased vulnerability to diseases such as tuberculosis, various infections, and certain cancers.
Globally, HIV is a significant public health challenge, having resulted in an estimated 42.3 million deaths to date. The virus continues to spread in all countries worldwide.
At the end of 2023, approximately 39.9 million individuals were living with HIV, with 65 percent of them located in the WHO African Region.
In 2023 alone, about 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes, and around 1.3 million individuals contracted HIV.
While there is currently no cure for HIV infection, it can be effectively managed as a chronic health condition through access to proper HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, which allows individuals living with the virus to maintain long and healthy lives.
The WHO, Global Fund, and UNAIDS have established global HIV strategies aiming to meet the SDG target 3.3 of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
By the year 2025, it is projected that 95 percent of all individuals living with HIV will have received a diagnosis, 95 percent of those diagnosed will be undergoing lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, and 95 percent of those receiving treatment will achieve a suppressed viral load, which is essential for both personal health and reducing HIV transmission. In 2023, these figures stood at 86 percent, 89 percent, and 93 percent, respectively.
In 2023, out of all individuals living with HIV, 86 percent were aware of their status, 77 percent were on antiretroviral therapy, and 72 percent had achieved suppressed viral loads.
