As a prelude to World AIDS Day, the Cnls has been organizing its Scientific Days since Tuesday to continue its fight for the elimination of the disease by 2030. There is still a long way to go, but so many Efforts were made to hope to honor the appointment. By Justin GOMIS –
Appearing for the first time in Senegal in 1986, HIV/AIDS has claimed many victims. In our country, the fight to reduce the number of contaminations has borne fruit, however the battle still continues. According to Dr Safiétou Thiam, Executive Director of the Cnls, “today we have nearly 40 thousand people who are under treatment, but the desire of the health authorities is to eliminate this disease by 2030”. This is also the whole meaning of the choice of theme for the 4th edition of the AIDS Senegal Scientific Days: “Towards the elimination of AIDS: Integration, Innovation, Impact.” According to the organizers, it is “an initiative that requires collective mobilization of all stakeholders (government, NGOs, technical and financial partners, researchers, health professionals and communities)”. Thus, as part of these days, “600 experts from the 14 regions of the country, 280 submissions, 80 oral presentations, 164 posters, 2 plenaries, 14 oral sessions, 3 symposia, 3 capacity building workshops, 2 tables are planned rounds, a clinical course, a community program.
These meetings will also bring together “more than 200 young people within the framework of a supported forum, during which they will discuss diverse and varied themes on how to grow up with HIV, the mental health of young people, sexual and reproductive health , the positive life of young Pvvh, as well as the community engagement of young people. And this for three days.
Returning to the means used in the fight against AIDS, the Executive Director of the Cnls indicated some ideas. According to Ms. Thiam, it involves “integration which refers to the need to combine the different prevention, treatment and care strategies in an accessible and coherent health system”. She also emphasizes that it “involves strengthening health infrastructure, improving coordination between services and programs, and making interventions more inclusive, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.” Likewise, the Executive Director of the Cnls adds that “innovation is essential in the fight against HIV/AIDS”. Thus, Dr Safiétou Thiam finds that “these Scientific Days show the importance of integrating resources and innovation strategies in treatments, prevention approaches, the tangible impact on the health of populations to achieve ‘elimination of AIDS’.
An opinion shared by the Minister of Health who chaired the opening ceremony this Tuesday. Dr. Ibrahima Sy said that eliminating “AIDS is not just about reducing the prevalence of the virus, but about ensuring universal access to prevention, screening and treatment.”
This ambitious challenge, he continues, “is based on three fundamental principles: Integration, Innovation, Impact”. Therefore, he indicates, “the integration of health services is necessary for an effective response to HIV and AIDS”. And added: “It ensures that everyone receives comprehensive care, while reducing stigma and promoting a continuous care pathway.” As for innovation, the minister believes that it “is essential to overcome the obstacles in our fight”. For Dr Sy, “this includes the adoption of new technologies, such as HIV self-tests facilitating discreet early detection and pre-exposure prophylaxis for increased protection of populations at risk”.
These actors intend to join forces and experiences to achieve this objective by 2030. However, they recognize that there are obstacles to overcome in this fight. “With results of 91-93-90, Senegal is getting closer to the objective of 95-95-95 set by UNAIDS. While celebrating our country’s remarkable advances, including the reduction in HIV prevalence to 0.3%, the 50% decrease in new infections and the significant increase in the number of adults on ARV treatment, it is essential to recognize that significant challenges remain,” admits the minister. According to him, “we absolutely must remove the social barriers that prevent many men, women and children from accessing necessary care.”
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