The pandemic slows the progress of HIV

The CORONAVIRUS pandemic slows the progress of HIV in Africa

While Africa has made great strides in HIV treatment and prevention in recent years, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic means that many people are missing out on life-saving interventions due to a shortage of hospitals, allocated funds diverted elsewhere and citizens who have afraid to do it. travel to health centers.

Dr Gilber Tene, who works at Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, told DW: “Patients are reluctant to come to the hospital. We need those patients in the hospital to continue to consult, provide them with drugs and provide them with any other support ”.

UNAIDS released a report in 2018 showing that the number of new infections in the region had decreased by 30%; however, fears are growing that the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic could see global HIV rates rise by 290,000.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) contributes 20% of the global AIDS budget; however, these funds are now being used to cover the coronavirus in many African countries.

“My nightmare scenario here is that the GFATM is also dealing with COVID, but with the same amount of money,” said GFATM chief Peter Sands. “In that case, we will make less progress on all four diseases and more people will die.”

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