ELECTORNIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM ON HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Where is the Will?

Dear aidsfocus readers,

The MMS/aidsfocus.ch Conference was a great success! We heard excellent presentations from highly competent speakers who delivered vivid accounts of the current HIV/AIDS situation. And it is not a pretty picture!

The UNAIDS promoted 90-90-90 strategy for testing and treatment represents an ambitious goal when we consider that today an estimated 37 million people are HIV-positive and only around half of them have access to medication. This is partly because people simply do not know of their HIV status but also because access to treatment is still only partially or even not at all available in many countries. In this we are facing a dual challenge: only an individual's knowledge of their own HIV status can lead to suitable treatment and access to this treatment must be ensured.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates the number of undetected HIV infections to be at least 14 million – this is a catastrophe! According to UNAIDS, by 2020 90% of HIV infections worldwide should be diagnosed; 90% of those diagnosed with HIV should be receiving antiretroviral treatment and in 90% of the treated cases the therapy should be regulated to ensure that the HI-virus is no longer detectable. If all this is accomplished, then the goal to end the epidemic by 2030 can be achieved.

Fear of stigmatisation and discrimination often deter the decision to be HIV-tested, both in Switzerland and in southern Africa.

A continuation of “business as usual” is not good enough!

It is now clear: if international and national efforts are not stepped up, the 90-90-90 goals will not be achieved by 2020, neither in Switzerland nor in southern Africa. The national political will and the determination to defeat AIDS is now more urgently needed than ever!

The live recordings of the conference presentations can be found on our MMS Facebook page, and at the documentation of the conference.

Our “topic of the month” is also dedicated to the 90-90-90 targets – you can read more about it here.

Carine Weiss

Coordinator, aidsfocus.ch

Project Leader, Medicus Mundi Switzerland

cweiss@medicusmundi.ch

Topic of the month

Information from the Swiss community of practice

International news

Reports and Studies

Events

Topic of the month

Let’s talk about the 90-90-90 targets set for 2020 – are they still within reach?

MMS/aidsfocus.ch - Get Tested! Know your HIV Status! Frequently heard slogans connected to the “90-90-90” targets introduced by UNAIDS in 2014. These targets intend that, by 2020, 90% of people who are infected with HIV will be diagnosed, 90% of people who are diagnosed will receive antiretroviral treatment and the virus in 90% of those receiving this treatment will be suppressed. If we meet these targets, the goal of achieving the end of AIDS by 2030 is still within reach.

May 2017

ELECTORNIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM ON HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Topic of the month

Let’s talk about the 90-90-90 targets set for 2020 – are they still within reach?

Information from the Swiss community of practice

Governance in the focus

DOCUMENTATION MMS/aidsfocus.ch conference 10 May 2017

High Prevalence and Incidence of Hypertension among Africans Living with HIV

International news

Invest in Health

#WeAreREADY at the World Health Assembly

HIV life expectancy 'near normal' thanks to new drugs

UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee calls for HIV testing revolution

White House Proposes Large Cuts to NIH Research This Year

Reports and Studies

Good Practice Guide: Adolescent HIV Programming

The living legacy of the Global Plan

When women lead, change happens.

Investing in Community Responses

Engaging Communities is Critical in Every Step of Global Fund Processes

Events

Mental Health - How to support staff affected by a trauma?

Education à la santé : besoin de renouveau ?

7th European Conference on African Studies

9th IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2017)