Doha December 01 (QNA) – The Ministry of Public Health is teaming up with Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization to seize the opportunity of World AIDS Day to call on people from all walks of life to learn more about HIV and AIDS and how it can be stopped.
“HIV is a highly transmittable disease that can be easily diagnosed and effectively treated and that can be stopped from spreading with early diagnosis and treatment. HIV testing is one of the key requirements for an effective response to end HIV and AIDS”, said Dr. Abdullatif Al Khal, Director of Qatar’s Clinical AIDS Program at the Ministry of Public Health.
As part of its national strategy aimed at combating HIV and AIDS, the Ministry of Public Health in Qatar (MPOH) and its healthcare partners, namely Hamad Medical Corporation and Primary Health Care Corporation, offer all people who are diagnosed with HIV infection the latest and most effective medical care and treatment free of charge to allow them to live a healthy life and to break the chain of transmission of infection.
Dr. Al Khal asserted the commitment of the Ministry of Public Health and its partners to spreading awareness about HIV and AIDS and joint work to reduce stigma and societal discrimination against persons living with the disease. “People who are at risk of infection are more likely to seek testing and medical care if they don’t feel stigmatized,” he said.
Director of Public Health Department at the Ministry of Public Health Sheikh Dr. Mohamed Al-Thani said “We know that, today, HIV is fully preventable and livable, and we are willing to put all the required efforts and resources towards the goal of ending HIV by 2030”, in Qatar. “This is a top priority at the core of our commitment towards the people of Qatar”, he added.
Referring to the findings of Dangerous Inequalities, UNAIDS flagship report to mark World AIDS Day, UNAIDS Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Dr. Shereen El Feki noted:
“HIV is a neglected disease in many countries in the MENA region, because of persistent inequalities which are both a mirror and a motor of the epidemic.” She added, “More political commitment, increased investment and a concerted push against stigma and discrimination are needed for MENA to stop HIV in its tracks.”
According to the latest findings from UNAIDS, an estimated 180 000 people were living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa in 2021. With 14 000 people newly infected with HIV last year alone, the region has seen a 33% rise in new infections since 2010.
“The MENA region is now home to the second highest rise in new HIV infections over the past decade,” commented Shereen El Feki, “and has the lowest rates of testing and treatment in the world.”
The Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
World AIDS Day is celebrated yearly on 1st December as a tribute to progress made against HIV but also to those who lost their lives because of AIDS.
Underscoring some of the drivers of the HIV epidemic today, the theme of World AIDS Day 2022 is EQUALIZE a reference to the world of soccer but also to the urgency of addressing the obstacles, such as stigma and discrimination, preventing most vulnerable people and groups to access the existing tools to prevent, test and treat HIV.
(QNA)