The latest move by a global summit on HIV/ADS to end the scourge by 2030 represents the United Nations resolve to keep to the spirit of sustainable development around the world, writes Correspondent, SAM NWOKORO.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has always been in the front-burners of many nations’ health and sustainability programmes since the turn of the century. In Nigeria, the fight against HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has since been a concerted effort by government and the private sector, especially in areas of counselling.
Nigeria has not received any global encomium on containing HIV/AIDS, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies the most populous black nation among countries in the developing world that take the HIV/AIDS fight seriously.
Nigeria’s approach at containment
Nigeria has made a number of moves to, in the absence of approved cure, contain the scourge. The country engages in HIV/AIDS education, through mainly non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Government, the civil society and the mass media are seriously involved. Community-based organisations (CBOs) and faith-based organistaions (FBOs) are not left out in this campaign.
However, most enlightenment campaigns don’t get to the prisons as it does to those outside.
Jingles, playlets, drama, music and sketches are used, while parents strive to inculcate healthy habits in their children.
These and other related issues formed the subject of recent Global Leaders’ Summit on AIDS which took place in New York under the auspices of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). After the summit on June 8, which was attended by more than 100 heads of government or their representatives, the global body came up with a communique which emphasised that the task of eradicating HIV/AIDS in the world must be accomplished by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The communique read in part: “UNAIDS welcomes the new goals, targets and commitments of the 2016 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on Ending AIDS. Countries have agreed to a historic and urgent agenda to accelerate efforts towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The Political Declaration provides a global mandate to fast-track the AIDS response over the next five years.”
The communique added the targets and commitments will guide the world in addressing the critical linkages between health, development, injustice, inequality, poverty and conflict.
According to the Declaration, these goals can only be realised with strong leadership and the engagement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), communities and the civil society.
Mogens Lykketoft, the president of the 70th session of the General Assembly, chairs the High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS.
At the meeting, Ndaba Mandela, grandson of former South African President, addressed the General Assembly, recalling that, when he was 21, his father had died of AIDS.
Participants at the meeting also heard from Loyce Maturu, a 24-year-old activist living in Zimbabwe, who shared her story about being born with HIV and later contracting tuberculosis.
Ms. Matura stressed that among the barriers that hinder progress in combating the AIDS epidemic are stigma and access by people living with and affected by the disease to treatment, care and support services.
“For us to accelerate ending AIDS among adolescents and young people, there is a need to invest in evidence-based adherence support interventions,” she said.
The 90% pledge
At the end of 2015, the number of people on HIV treatment reached 17 million, exceeding the 2015 target of reaching 15 million people, the communique added.
Leaders pledged to ensure that 90 per cent of PLWHAs (children, adolescents and adults) know their status, 90 per cent of them who know their status are receiving treatment and 90 per cent of them on treatment have suppressed viral loads.
Countries further committed to urgently address low treatment coverage rates among children living with HIV.
Accelerating prevention outreach
HIV prevention targets encourage countries to promote access to tailored comprehensive HIV prevention services for all women and adolescent girls, migrants, key populations (sex workers, male homosexuals, people who inject drugs, transgenders and prisoners).
The Declaration recognises the importance of location and population, as the scourge is distinctive in each country and region. It encourages regional action and accountability by setting regional targets on prevention and treatment, including to:
• Reach all women, adolescent girls and key populations with comprehensive HIV prevention services, including harm reduction, by 2020.
• Reach three million people at higher risk of HIV infection with pre-exposure prophylaxis by 2020.
• Reach 25 million young men in high HIV incidence areas with voluntarily medical male circumcision, and make 20 billion condoms available in low- and middle-income countries by 2020.
It, however, fails to bring the needed visibility to key populations most affected in different regions.
The commitment to eliminate new HIV infections among children and to ensure that their mothers’ health and well-being are sustained is reaffirmed in the new Political Declaration with emphasis on ensuring that mothers have access to immediate and life-long anti-retroviral therapy.
Right to health
The Declaration further recognises that progress in protecting and promoting the rights of people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV has been far from adequate, and that human rights violations remain a major obstacle in the response to HIV.
Member states pledge to review and reform legislation that may create barriers or reinforce stigma and discrimination and to promote access to non-discriminatory health-care services, including for populations at higher risk of HIV.
AIDS out of isolation
The Declaration affirms that the AIDS response will spur progress across the SDGs. It calls for universal health coverage and access to social protection.
Adopting targets beyond HIV, member states emphasised the continued importance of an integrated approach to a range of health issues, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, cervical cancer, human papillomavirus, no communicable diseases and emerging and re-emerging diseases.