World Aids Day - Warning not to forget another pandemic which has claimed 35 million lives

Tue, 30 Nov, 2021 - 18:20

Ryan O’Rourke

Medical experts have warned that with the world’s attention focused on Covid-19, attention must be given to HIV which it refers to as “one of the most destructive pandemics in history”.

It comes as a new report, released for World Aids Day, by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Regional Office for Europe, shows a 24% drop in the rate of newly diagnosed HIV cases between 2019 and 2020.

However, that is due to reduced HIV testing as a result of disrupted services brought about by Covid-19 restrictions.

This has led to a worrying situation, experts say, as over the last decade new HIV infections have been increasing in the WHO European Region while information suggests that the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV is on the rise again.

“With the world’s attention focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot forget another deadly virus that has been devastating lives and communities for nearly 40 years. Since the HIV virus was first identified in 1984, it has claimed more than 35 million lives, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“In recent years, many countries of the European Region have worked to increase testing and treatment while addressing social stigma.

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"But new data gathered since the emergence of Covid-19 paint a worrying picture, suggesting that many people living with HIV are not being diagnosed in time, which could have long-term consequences on their quality of life,” he added.

Despite the potential under-diagnosis and under-reporting in 2020, there were 104,765 new HIV infections diagnosed in 46 of the 53 countries in the European Region. This includes 14,971 from countries of the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA).

EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said: “Ahead of World AIDS Day, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to recognise the impact of the crisis on patients and healthcare systems. It is clear that we must do more for people living with HIV in regard to health-related quality of life.

“We must also invest in new approaches to prevention, treatment and care. Together, we will put the needs of patients first, and end stigma and discrimination for so many people living with HIV every day,” she added.

According to ECDC Director, Dr Andrea Ammon, 2020 was a key year for HIV, when we needed to be reaching the 90-90-90 testing, treatment and viral suppression targets to be on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.