AIDS still substantial challenge to world although campaign forges ahead

Challenges remain

"The world is on the cusp of making great gains in the battle against HIV and AIDS, but we must not rest on the laurels of progress made," said Executive Director Henrietta Fore of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

WHO data show that there were still approximately 37.9 million people living with HIV worldwide as of mid-2019. Among them, about 25.7 million people were living in Africa.

In countries that have achieved significant progress in reducing HIV prevalence rate and AIDS-related deaths, the gains have been challenged by complacency.

In Ethiopia, for example, new HIV infections have been reduced by 70 percent and AIDS-related deaths dropped by 90 percent over the past two decades, Daniel Betre, the country's HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office public relations and communication director, told Xinhua.

However, the progress made then seem to be challenged by complacency, said Daniel.

"Still today, we are losing over 13,000 citizens every year due to HIV/AIDS-related deaths and also about 13,000 new infections every year. Currently, over 600,000 people are infected with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia, out of which only 470,000 are on anti-retroviral therapy (ART), and this shows that there is a lot to be done," Daniel noted.

Globally, only 62 percent of adults and 52 percent of children living with HIV were receiving the lifelong ART, according to WHO.

Making things worse, some governments even refuse to recognize, support or engage community organizations in their national responses to HIV and are subsequently missing out on their enormous potential to reach the people most affected by HIV, the UNAIDS report noted.

UNAIDS urges all countries to fully support and enable their community-led organizations, ensure they have a seat at all decision-making tables concerning the health and well-being of their community members and remove any barriers to their active engagement in the response to HIV.

"Only by fully funding and fully supporting the work of community organizations will the end of AIDS become a reality," said the UNAIDS report.