Windhoek, 20 April 2011 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, says that countries in the region are making “significant progress” in the fight against HIV/AIDS but warns that several challenges and bottlenecks are impeding Universal Access.

“Countries have stabilized or significantly slowed down the rate of new HIV infections and we are seeing a return on investments in HIV prevention efforts”, Dr Sambo told participants at a Working Lunch on Universal Access to HIV Interventions held on 20 April in Windhoek, Namibia.

According to Dr Sambo “The prevalence of HIV in adults aged 15 – 49 years decreased from 5.9 % in 2011 to 5.0% in 2009. People are beginning to adopt safer behaviours. Young people are delaying the first time they have sex, having fever partners and increasing condom use. Fever babies are being born with HIV.”

The Regional Director also spoke of progress being made in the area of treatment as “millions of people are living longer and as access to HIV treatment services are scaled up”, with the result that AIDS-related deaths have fallen by nearly 20% in the last five years.

In spite of these successes, several challenges remain to be surmounted. These include slow uptake of HIV testing and counseling services, insufficient coverage in scaling up PMTCT interventions and inadequate organization of health services in the delivery of treatment, care and support for people living with HIV.

Other obstacles listed by the Regional Director include a myriad of health system challenges ranging from human resource constraints to weak procurement and supply management systems (resulting in stock outs); and inadequate financing or resource allocation to weak surveillance and monitoring systems.

Dr Sambo highlighted a number of opportunities for synergies and linkages to address the identified challenges.

Among these are expanded coverage of good antenatal services support efforts to reduce transmission of HIV to children; implementation of mechanisms for intensified collaboration and joint planning between HIV and TB programmes; integration of HIV prevention and counseling services into sexual and reproductive health services, and strengthening both HIV and non-communicable and chronic disease management.

Dr Sambo attributed the significant success recorded in the fight against HIV partly to the increasing commitment by national governments, strong partnerships and joint support by development partners to countries.

On the role of WHO, he said that the organization had provided advocacy and leadership; contributed to the mobilization of political commitment; developed and coordinated strategic information; tracked and monitored the epidemic; actively provided technical assistance, and contributed to he mobilization of financial resources for the response.

For further information, please:

Technical contact:

Emil Asamoah-Odei, Programme Manager a.i., Regional HIV/AIDS Programme;
Tel: +47 241 39277;
E-mail: asamoahodeie [at] afro.who.int (asamoahodeie[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Media contact:

Sam Ajibola, Communications and Media Unit,
Tel: +47 241 39378;
E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)