By Omar Bah
In a recent report on the HIV/AIDS situation in West and Central Africa, it was highlighted that the region requires $2.2 billion to eliminate HIV/AIDS by 2030. The report, unveiled by the UN program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Dakar, Senegal, demonstrated the potential to eradicate AIDS globally by 2030.
During the report’s launch, Ms. Berthilde Gahongayire, the director of the Regional Support Team for West and Central Africa, noted a decline in new infections from 450,000 in 2010 to 196,000 in 2024. However, she expressed concern about the persistently high number of new HIV infections among key populations, adolescents, and young women. She emphasized that in 2023, adolescent girls and young women (aged 15-24) represented 19 percent of all new HIV infections in the region. Ms. Gahongayire also highlighted the alarming prediction that by 2022, eight out of 10 new infections will be among girls and two out of 10 among boys in this age group.
Regarding access to treatment, she mentioned substantial progress in the region, noting that the number of adults (aged 15 and over) receiving HIV treatment has more than doubled since 2015. Presently, 81 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 76 percent are receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 70 percent have a suppressed viral load. Ms. Gahongayire also commended countries such as Burundi and the DRC for reaching the 95-95-95 targets for HIV testing and treatment among their adult population (aged 15 and over). Additionally, she reported a 55 percent reduction in AIDS-related deaths in the region between 2010 and 2023.
