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MBABANE – Adolescents seem to be lagging behind on HIV-related issues, hence the country is among the 38 countries worldwide that are experiencing HIV increasing infections.
Overall, in 2020 the country reached the 95-95-95 UNAIDS 2030 global target, about 10 years ahead.
However, the pandemic is having the worst impact on adolescent girls, young women and key populations.
The country has achieved an overall SHIMS3 results from participants15 years and older which stands at 94-97-96.
This means 94 per cent diagnosis of all HIIV positive individuals, 97 per cent of those diagnosed are receiving ART and also achieved viral suppression for 96 per cent of those on treatment.
The overall SHIMS3 results recorded for females aged 15 to 24 years was 84-96-90 and for 91-96-87 for males.
According to the Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi, the results were concerning for the youth and already point to the direction the response should take in ensuring that they continue to be the programme focus for HIV prevention and service delivery in the kingdom.
Nkosi was speaking during the World AIDS Commemoration launch which was held at the MVA Headquarters, on Wednesday.
She said the ministry had opened its arms to include key populations and ensure they were accessing services. “To identify actions that address inequalities across sub-population groups, we must pay attention
Regional Commemoration Events Sithobelweni Inkhundla (Shiselweni Prince of Wales, Mbabane East (Hhohho) Phondo Inkhundla (Manzini)
Date
November 4, 2022 November 11, 2022 November 18, 2022
Gege Inkhundla - Main World AIDS Day Commemoration (Shiselweni Region) November 1, 2022 not only to who is being left behind but why they new HIV infections since 2015 to 2020, from 12 are being left behind,” she said. 000 to 6 900.
Of interest, she said despite the alarming global Nkosi said Eswatini was making all efforts to statistics, Eswatini had seen a drastic decline in ensure equal access to treatment for all, including
young people. However, she said the challenge was the social, structural, systems and service drivers that fuelled inequalities and increased HIV vulnerability.
The minister said Eswatini had adapted the global theme to the local context to; ‘Equalize: Eswatini Ending AIDS for ALL.’
She said the theme resonated with the Multisectoral response to HIV and AIDS, which adopts the human rights approach in service delivery as articulated in the National Strategic Framework (NSF 2018-2023).
Nkosi stated that regardless of the concerns, the SHIMS results highlighted sustained progress the country had made towards HIV testing and treatment over the past five years, despite COVID-19 disruptions.
Disease-burden
The minister mentioned that this further showed that sustaining the 95s was achievable in high HIV disease-burden settings.
“The improvement in all 95s between 2016 and 2021 demonstrates the return on continued investments in HIV service delivery and data-driven programmes,” Nkosi said. On access to treatment, she said Eswatini had full access to treatment for all.
Furthermore, she said moving forward in ending the AIDS pandemic as a public health threat in Eswatini, additional investment would be required. Also she mentioned that relentless focus on challenging gender-based violence (GBV), gender inequalities and other social and structural biases that made high risk populations vulnerable to infection and keep them away from HIV prevention, treatment and care services was required.
Nkosi said punitive laws that criminalise and marginalise vulnerable groups of people were denying the right to health to the vulnerable groups of key populations and holding the HIV response back.