West and Central Africa could see a rise in HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in a few years due to disruptions in health services because of the coronavirus pandemic, the executive director of the U.N. AIDS agency said.
Although human immunodeficiency virus infection rates, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -related deaths have been on a steady decline over the past decade, the region accounted for 22% of AIDS-related deaths in 2020.
Byanyima said the jury was still out on the extent of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on HIV, but the agency is seeing examples of disruptions. “We are seeing across countries, a decrease in people receiving prevention, a decrease in people testing, and increasing numbers people falling out of treatments. These are not good signs, but we don't yet know what the impact will be on new infections and deaths,” she said.
UNAIDS warned in July last year that the global fight against AIDS had been faltering even before the Covid-19 pandemic, and the pandemic was threatening to put hard-won progress against HIV back by 10 years or more.
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