How Covid 19 has affected the fight against HIV
The Covid 19 pandemic is having a serious impact on most vulnerable communities worldwide.
A six-month disruption of antiretroviral therapy due to COVID-19 could lead to more than 500,000 EXTRA DEATHS from HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
The 25.7 million people living with HIV and 16.4 million people taking antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Arica risk treatment interruptions due to COVID-19 because HIV services are closed, supply chains to deliver antiretroviral therapies are disrupted or service providers are overwhelmed.
The COVID-19 pandemic must not be an excuse to divert investment from HIV. “There is a risk that the hard-earned gains of the AIDS response will be sacrificed to the fight against COVID-19, but the right to health means that no one disease should be fought at the expense of the other.”
Recent data from PEPFAR also shows the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on the HIV response—in particular on testing and treatment for HIV, including for pregnant women. Anti-retroviral treatment for HIV-positive pregnant women is down 4.46%. We’ve also seen a worrying 25% decline of HIV treatment initiation for many age groups and a 25% decline in HIV case identification based on reduced testing across all age groups. These declines are consistent with the latest Situation Report of the Global Fund from October 27, which indicates that three quarters of Global Fund supported HIV programs have experienced “moderate” to “very high” service disruption in the wake of COVID-19.
