Once an individual is diagnosed with HIV, linkage and access
to medical care is crucial. By using antiviral medication, the HIV virus can be
suppressed and, overtime, achieve undetectable levels. The attainment of viral
suppression means HIV cannot be spread further.
According to the latest statistics from the Joint United
Nations Program for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), of the 36.7 million people living with
HIV, only 60% are aware of their HIV positive status. Of this conscious 60%,
less than half are currently on antiviral medication. Therefore, millions of
people around the world living with HIV unaware are not able to control the
virus’s impact on their bodies and are more likely to spread the disease unless
precautions are taken.
While these statistics seem melancholy, one area of the
world is ahead in the race to end the HIV epidemic. The UNAIDS organization has
the goal of meeting it’s 90-90-90 target throughout the world by 2020. The
90-90-90 target can be achieved if “90%
of people living with HIV are diagnosed; if 90% of diagnosed people are taking
ART [antiviral medication]; and if 90% of people taking ART are virally
suppressed.” Western and Southern Europe on their way to achieving this goal.
According to data collected at
the end of 2017, a survey of eleven European countries showed an estimated 84%
of those living with HIV were diagnosed, with 84% of diagnosed people taking
antiviral medication, and 85% of those treated reaching viral suppression. In
fact, two of those countries surveyed, Denmark and Sweden, have already
achieved the 90-90-90 target.
This is a cause to celebrate.
As Europe pioneers the way to a world without HIV, we can continue to raise
awareness for all those infected to be aware of their positive HIV status. Once
diagnoses and access to medical treatment have occurred, viral suppression can
be achieved, leading to a world where more people are accessing care and we can
get closer to zero new infections.
Sources:
UNAIDS
AIDSmap
|