Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis G. Sambo, on the occasion of World AIDS Day 2013

Today, 1 December 2013, people around the world are observing World AIDS Day to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. The theme for this year’s commemoration is: “Getting to zero infections, zero discrimination and zero deaths”. This theme highlights the need for sustained reduction of new HIV infections, increased access to treatment and elimination of all inequalities and barriers in HIV prevention and control.

Sub-Saharan Africa, the area hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, is home to nearly 25 million people living with the infection. The negative impact of HIV/AIDS is evident to all. As parents and workers succumb to HIV-related diseases, structures and division of labour in households and communities are disrupted, and daily lives are affected, with women bearing a heavy brunt.

Despite this grim reality, significant progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the African Region. HIV-related deaths have reduced as has the number of new HIV infections among adults and children. Today, more people than ever are receiving antiretroviral treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. At the end of 2012, 7.5 million people were receiving treatment, which contrasts with 50 000 people on treatment a decade earlier.  Owing to the increase in access to HIV treatment, the number of people dying from AIDS-related causes has reduced.

These achievements would not have been possible without the collective efforts of African governments and many partners through significant financial investment in the HIV/AIDS response. Drugs and commodities have been made more accessible in all countries, innovative ways of delivering services have been expanded, activism has promoted visibility of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and, crucially, people living with HIV have been at the forefront of the response.

The continued progress we have made so far gives hope that we can win the fight against HIV/AIDS, but much more needs to be done. Most people in the Region are unaware of their HIV status. Access to HIV prevention and treatment interventions and services remains inadequate, especially for vulnerable and high-risk populations. A significant proportion of people still drop out of care and many national HIV programmes in the Region are heavily dependent on international financial resources.

Winning the fight against HIV/AIDS requires that HIV prevention efforts be scaled up in all countries by using highly effective behavioural and biomedical approaches, including medical male circumcision and earlier initiation of antiretroviral medicines, as well as structural approaches that reduce vulnerability such as promoting girls’ education as effective means to reduce new HIV infections.

I would like to use this occasion to urge all countries to promote HIV testing for everyone and to follow WHO guidelines in providing treatment for those with the disease. We must ensure that there are no interruptions in drug supplies in order to enhance adherence and retention and reduce the emergence of drug resistance.

African countries need to come together and increase mobilization of sustainable domestic resources to address the funding gap, harmonize medicines regulation policies across countries and regions, and strengthen regional and national capacity to produce high-quality medicines. The international financial support for the fight against HIV/AIDS has been crucial and is highly appreciated.
As we commemorate World AIDS Day, I call on all stakeholders to be more actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.