We talk about it less than before, but like is still here and still killing. This disease, often relegated to the shadows of other health priorities, public healthremains an unrelenting reality for millions of people around the world. THE HIV continues to disrupt lives, sowing pain, stigma and loss. In this World AIDS Daycelebrated this Sunday, December 1, 2024, it is urgent to revive awareness in the face of a scourge that persists. According to data from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, 23,000 people were living with the HIV in Morocco at the end of 2023, including 43% women.
Among these people, 22% are unaware of their HIV status, i.e. nearly one in four infected people did not know that they carried HIV, which increases the transmission risks and delays access to treatments vital. Last year, 970 new infections were recorded, more than two per day, and 390 AIDS-related deaths left families in mourning. “Analysis of HIV/AIDS cases reported over the last 5 years shows a focused dynamic of the epidemic in four regions which alone account for three quarters of cases, Casablanca-Settat, Marrakech-Safi, Souss-Massa and Rabat-Salé-Kénitrathe vast majority of which are in cities,” the ministry specifies in a report.
The impact of HIV on young people: a worrying trend
The age group most affected by HIV remains that of 25 to 44 year olds, both for men and women. However, the highest proportion of cases detected at an asymptomatic stage are among young people aged 15 to 19. Thus, 45% of new infections concern young people aged 15 to 34, and 870 people living with HIV were aged under 15. “The latest survey carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Protectioncovering the knowledge, attitudes and practices of young people aged 15 to 24 regarding sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS, dates back to 2013. It revealed that only 28.95% of boys and 22.19% girls in this age group reported receiving sufficient information about sexuality. Today, more than ever, it is important to act to raise awareness among young people, who pay the heaviest price for the HIV epidemic,” emphasizes Pr. Mehdi Karkouripresident of theAssociation to Fight AIDS (ALCS). “The ban on screening minors without the consent of their guardians and the absence of sex education programs for young people are fueling the epidemic. This is one of the barriers that must be removed for the eradication of HIV by 2030,” he adds. The president of theALCS stresses that even if there is still much to be done to improve the quality of care for people living with HIV, particularly those who do not have social security coverage, and to fight against stigma and discrimination, it must be emphasized that the Morocco has made notable progress in terms of fight against HIV.
Significant progress despite persistent challenges
Moreover, the year 2023 was marked by significant advances in performance in terms of prevention and HIV testingafter stagnation in 2020 and 2021, linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors, and the resumption of activities recorded in 2022. “This progress was possible thanks to the sustained political commitment of the high authorities of the country and the combined efforts of the Ministry of Health, civil society organizations, government sectors and stakeholders as well as the support of international partners. Efforts have been made to strengthen prevention programs for key populations, improve the quality of services and adapt interventions to the specific needs of populations. The approaches and working standards have been reviewed with the updating of the terms of reference for community stakeholders and peer educators,” indicates the ministry in its report.
The national response to achieve the objectives set by 2030
Thanks to these efforts, the second Objective 95-95-95, relating to coverage by the antiretroviral treatment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who know their status as well as the third relating to the negativation of the viral load among PLHIV under treatment, has already been achieved. Furthermore, knowing the serological status among PLHIV remains a challenge, with a gap of 17% compared to the first Objective 95.
Various actions and activities in favor of vulnerable adolescents and young people were also carried out by the School and University Health Program of the Ministry’s Population Directorate with government sectors and universities as well as by NGOs, in the area of sex education. , communication and awareness of sexual and reproductive healthprevention and screening, mobilization and capacity building of adolescents and young people. “The approach based on human rights and gender within the framework of the National Human Rights and HIV Strategy has been consolidated through several actions carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in collaboration with the Council National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), to establish and train health professionals on recourse mechanisms, as well as by NGOs in terms of advocacy and community monitoring.
A new integrated human rights and HIV, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis strategy has been developed for the period 2024-2030,” indicates the Ministry of Health.
It should be noted that the year 2023 was also characterized by important planning processes for the development of new strategic plans covering the period 2024-2030, for the fight against HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and viral hepatitis. . The Regional Directorates of Health and Social Protection have thus translated the integrated national strategic plan to combat AIDS, viral hepatitis and STIs into regional strategic plans adapted to the situation of the epidemic and the priorities of each region. All these plans concretize the implementation of an integrated approach to the response with a vision and objectives until 2030.
HIV: global figures
In 2023, according to data from theOnusidaHIV continues to affect millions of people around the world. Around 39.9 million people were living with HIV, including 1.4 million children under the age of 15, and 53% of these people were women and girls. Unfortunately, 5.4 million of them were unaware of their HIV status. Every day, more than 3,500 new infections occur, and women and girls account for almost 44% of new infections.
Adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 are particularly vulnerable: every week, 4,000 of them contract HIV worldwide, including 3,100 in sub-Saharan Africa.
Furthermore, the consequences of the disease remain dramatic: in 2023, some 630,000 people will have died from AIDS-related illnesses, or nearly 1,800 deaths per day.
However, progress is being made in access to treatment: 30.7 million people now benefit from antiretroviral treatment. Since the start of the epidemic, 88.4 million people have been infected with HIV, and 42.3 million deaths have been recorded due to AIDS.
“Sidaction Maroc 2024”: call for mobilization to protect young people from HIV
On the occasion of World AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1, the Association to Fight AIDS (ALCS) is launching the tenth edition of the “Sidaction Maroc”. This year, the campaign carries a strong message: “AIDS is still here… Let’s not look away”, emphasizing the urgency of raising awareness and taking action, particularly among young people, who represent nearly 45% of new infections recorded in 2023, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Faced with this reality, the ALCS is strengthening its action with a series of HIV prevention workshops organized in its structures and in the educational establishments across the country. At the same time, a national fundraising campaign aims to support its programs, particularly in terms of screening and support for people living with HIV.
The culmination of this mobilization will be the broadcast of the “Sidaction Maroc” evening, scheduled for Friday, December 13 on the 2M channel. This event will bring together experts to take stock of the efforts carried out and increase awareness among the general public.
As a reminder, for more than 35 years, the ALCS has taken part in the national response to HIV/AIDS by working with people living with HIV and the populations most vulnerable to infection by this virus. An approach which enabled it to carry out nearly 50,000 HIV screening tests in 2023, 720 of which were positive, and to support more than 7,000 people in very vulnerable situations, living with this virus.
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