GENEVA, Switzerland, 22 October 2024 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Executive Director of UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima is asking for accelerated international solidarity to strengthen Madagascar’s response to HIV, together with stopping new HIV infections and increasing entry to therapy, to finish AIDS as a public well being risk. Ms Byanyima is visiting the nation between 19–24 October to assist its response to the HIV epidemic. Madagascar has seen dramatic enhance in new HIV infections since 2010 and a 158% enhance in AIDS-related deaths over the identical interval. UNAIDS is worried about what seems to be a dramatic enhance in new HIV infections. 

Ms Winnie Byanyima’s go to to Madagascar coincides with that of H.S.H Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, who’s visiting Madagascar via the work that she does with Fight AIDS Monaco all over the world, together with in Madagascar, to finish AIDS as a public well being risk. Fight AIDS Monaco has been supporting Madagascar’s efforts to stop new HIV infections, together with ending stigma in opposition to individuals residing with HIV and galvanising worldwide solidarity to assist efforts to finish AIDS.

“Madagascar is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of new HIV infections in communities, in stark contrast to the regional trend where new HIV infections are declining,” stated Ms Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Madagascar’s pandemic is driven by gaps in HIV prevention and glaring inequalities which must be urgently addressed.”

In 2023 there have been an estimated 76 000 individuals residing with HIV in Madagascar and round 3100 individuals died of AIDS-related diseases. Gaps in information gathering and weak surveillance techniques make estimating the dimensions of the pandemic tough. Stockouts of HIV testing kits and restricted entry to testing services additional hinder correct information assortment in communities.

In addition, the vast majority of individuals residing with HIV don’t have entry to therapy. Only 22% of the estimated 76 000 individuals residing with HIV in Madagascar had entry in 2023.

In northern Manakara HIV testing campaigns by the Ministry of Health have proven city HIV prevalence charges starting from 3% to 18% among the many inhabitants.  There is a must strengthen complete information gathering to raised inform the nationwide HIV response to successfully deal with the pandemic.  

UNAIDS has been actively supporting Madagascar’s HIV response, particularly in strengthening the surveillance techniques to make sure extra correct and complete information assortment. UNAIDS has additionally been supporting the implementation of HIV testing and counselling companies and serving to to develop entry to antiretroviral remedy.

Madagascar is likely one of the most unequal international locations on the planet, an element which is driving new HIV infections. In 2023, the World Bank estimated the nation’s poverty charges at 62.6%. Madagascar has been hit by cyclical pure disasters together with drought within the south and cyclones, making it tough for the nation to get better and mount an efficient response to HIV.

“Madagascar can scale up its response to HIV but urgently needs technical and financial support from the international community to ensure that HIV prevention commodities, including condoms, testing kits and antiretroviral treatment are available to everyone in need,” stated Ms Byanyima.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and evokes the world to attain its shared imaginative and prescient of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and nil AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works intently with international and nationwide companions in direction of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as a part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn extra at unaids.org and join with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of UNAIDS.

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