Since most people living with HIV in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO), of which Pakistan is also a part, do not know that they are infected with the virus, or are not known to the health system, regional treatment coverage is still the lowest globally.
This fact has come to light in a message released by WHO’s Regional Director for EMRO Dr. Hussein A. Gezairy on the eve of World AIDS Day, which is being observed worldwide.
Stigma and discrimination still exist to varying degrees across the Region, and there remain massive barriers to people accessing prevention and care services. Of particular concern are stigma and discrimination in health care settings and by healthcare workers. These are major impediments when it comes to encouraging stigmatized population groups to seek and access health services and adhere to health interventions.
“The healthcare community has witnessed women in labour not being allowed to deliver in hospitals because of their HIV positive status. Men, women and children living with HIV in dire need of surgery have been denied this right. Even with non-invasive procedures, some healthcare workers have refused to care for people living with HIV. Public and institutional measures have enacted mandatory HIV testing on individuals upon their admission to health care services, often resulting in denial of access to those who test positive, unnecessary isolation or, at the least, gossip,” Dr. Gezairy shares through his message.
In view of the fundamental right to health for all people, the regional theme for the World AIDS Campaign 2011 is ‘Stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings,’ inviting attention to reflect on human rights in the context of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
Dr. Gezairy has stressed the need to re-double efforts to challenge and change policies that breach the right of individuals living with or at risk of HIV to quality healthcare. “People should not be tested for HIV without their consent. And positive HIV status should not negatively affect the ability of individuals to access health services. A human rights-based approach is the only way to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care,” he mentions.
In the past few years, efforts and resources invested in expanding the health sector response to the HIV epidemic in the Region have resulted in noticeable achievements in terms of increased access to HIV prevention and care services. “All countries have made efforts to increase access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy. Between 2008 and 2010, the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) increased by 55%, and several countries doubled the number of PLHIV receiving ART,” Dr. Gezairy mentions.
Pakistan continues to respond to the HIV epidemic and its consequences, including mortality, morbidity and the socioeconomic consequences for people living with HIV. Integrated into the global and regional reporting instruments, the country is considered to be in a concentrated epidemic phase wherein there is low prevalence in the general population but disproportionately higher prevalence among people who use drugs, transgender people and those involved in sex work.
The current estimated number of people living with HIV in Pakistan was 98,000 by end-2009; however, a small fraction of those in need of treatment are registered in treatment due to socio-cultural sensitivity, stigma and limited access of services to these groups.
“The One-UN remains committed to support the AIDS response as it is a joint pogramme under Health and Population. Twelve UN agencies working with UNAIDS are providing support to the national response according to their mandate and resources. In 2010-11 UN resources accounts for the third largest source of support to the AIDS response in Pakistan, UNIC states in a press release. The World AIDS Day 2011 is dedicated to the objectives defined in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of halting and reversing the HIV epidemic by 2015.
In a separate message on the occasion, the executive director of UNAIDS and the under-secretary-general of the United Nations Michel Sidibé has termed 2011 as “a year of achievements, of collective action, of resilience and of courage because in spite of the economic downturn that has stretched the AIDS response to its limits, millions of lives have been saved,as HIV treatment and prevention efforts continue to show results.”
“Fortunately, leaders are standing up to say that an AIDS-free generation is possible and that no child should be born with HIV and no mother should die of AIDS. The gulf between treatment and prevention has ended. Treatment is prevention,” Sidibé points out.
The UNAIDS chief has called upon world leaders to fully fund the AIDS response. The global investment target of US$ 22-24 billion is a shared responsibility-of all countries, donors and others. “Today, I call upon leaders, communities, parents, people living with HIV and young people to look forward and work towards a world with Zero new HIV infections, Zero discrimination and Zero AIDS-related deaths,” he states.
The UN secretary general has also termed financing as being critical to success. “I urge all concerned to act on the investment framework put forward by UNAIDS and to fully fund the global investment target of up to $24 billion annually. The results would offset the upfront costs in less than one generation,” he states. “Heading into the fourth decade of AIDS, we are finally in a position to end the epidemic,” he concludes on a note of optimism. (Courtest The News)