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World AIDS Day 2024: Still too many HIV infections

Written by Laurence Amand-Eeckhout.

World AIDS Day, proclaimed by the United Nations in 1988, takes place each year on 1 December. The aim is to raise awareness, fight prejudice, encourage progress in prevention, and improve treatment around the world. Although infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is preventable, significant HIV transmission remains a challenge to EU Member States’ health systems. This year’s theme ‘Take the rights path: My health, my right!’ underlines the need to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has the right to quality healthcare services in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Background

Attacking the body’s immune system (the white blood cells or ‘CD4 cells’), HIV weakens its defence against other infections and diseases. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is AIDS (with a CD4 count below 200). Found in a variety of body fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk, HIV can be transmitted through sex, blood transfusion, the sharing of contaminated needles, and between mother and child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding.

People who are at high risk of getting HIV can take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine to reduce the risk of infection.

People diagnosed with HIV and treated early can now expect to live a normal lifespan. Infections can be treated to prevent progression to AIDS by decreasing viral load in an infected body (antiretroviral therapy, ‘ART’). However ART does not cure HIV infection, and there is no vaccine.

The United Nations (UN) Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is leading the global effort to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN in 2015 (Goal 3.3). UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO).

With World AIDS Day 2024’s themeTake the rights path: My health, my right!’ the WHO is calling on global leaders and citizens to champion the right to health by addressing the inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS. In its report published on 26 November 2024, UNAIDS underlines the urgent need to remove laws, policies and practices which harm people’s rights by punishing, discriminating against or stigmatising people and obstructing access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care, as well as laws, policies and practices that hinder the work of people who are providing vital HIV services for affected communities or who are advocating for reforms.

Facts and figures

UNAIDS data show that, in 2023, 1.3 million people contracted HIV, 39 million people were living with HIV (38 million adults (15 years or older) and 1 million children (0–14 years) and 630 000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses. Stigma and discrimination hinder individuals from seeking and obtaining HIV-related care:  across countries with available data, people living with HIV who perceive high levels of stigma are 2.4 times more likely to delay care until they are very ill.

According to the 2024 report  on ‘HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe’ (2023 data), published on 28 November 2024 jointly by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, HIV affects over 2.6 million people in the WHO European region (made up of 53 countries covering a vast geographical region from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean), including over 650 000 people in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA).

In the EU/EEA specifically, 24 731 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2023 (22 995 in 2022).

In addition, more than 1 in 10 people living with HIV in the EU/EEA are still unaware of their status, which contributes to late diagnoses, worse outcomes and the continued spread of HIV.

EU action on HIV/AIDS

EU Member States are responsible for their own healthcare policies and systems. However, according to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the EU complements national policies while also fostering cooperation between Member States.

In the EU, HIV/AIDS policy focuses on prevention and on supporting people living with the disease. The European Commission has mobilised measures and instruments across several policy areas in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This includes support for Member States to help them achieve the global target under Goal 3.3 of the UN SDGs, to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. In that context, the Commission facilitates the exchange of best practices through the Health Security Committee, as well as dedicated networks on the EU Health Policy Platform. EU4Health projects aim to provide support to vulnerable groups, including access to information, testing, and community-based services. The EU drugs strategy for 2021-2025, aims to ensure a high level of health promotion, including measures to reduce the prevalence and incidence of drug-related infectious diseases, such as viral hepatitis and HIV.

Since the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, the EU has invested significantly in HIV/AIDS research. The Horizon Europe programme for research and innovation supports projects ranging from basic research to the development and testing of new treatments and vaccines.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) supports the global HIV response through scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines. The ECDC is a key partner of the Commission in relation to HIV/AIDS and provides guidance to Member States. Its 2023 progress report published in February 2024 summarises the progress towards UN SDG 3.3 to eliminate the AIDS epidemic in Europe by 2030. It provides an update on the progress in relation to HIV prevention, testing and treatment, AIDS-related deaths and HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

On the world stage, as underlined in its 2022 global health strategy, the EU supports the Global Fund against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. In 2022, the EU pledged €715 million for the 2023-2025 period, a 30 % increase over its pledge of €550 million covering the 2020-2022 period. The UNAIDS 2021‑2026 global AIDS strategy highlights the need for a new approach that reduces the inequalities driving the AIDS epidemic and puts people at its centre, involving communities and prioritising human rights and dignity.

In its May 2021 resolution on accelerating progress and tackling inequalities towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, the European Parliament calls on the European Commission to address AIDS as a global public health crisis, to prioritise health as part of the EU-Africa strategy, to work with Member States and partners to invest in community engagement and community-led responses as key components in the fight against HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

In November 2022, at the request of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies provided a study on ‘Health-related quality of life in people living with HIV’. The study suggests accelerated action in several areas to reduce the incidence of HIV and to improve quality of life for people living with HIV, notably: a combined approach to HIV prevention (including access to condoms, PrEP, and harm reduction services such as needle exchange and drug treatment); expanded accessibility to HIV testing and, for those who test positive, rapid linkage to care; development of integrated, patient-centred services; and monitoring and addressing HIV-related stigma, particularly in healthcare systems. This study was presented at the European Parliament’s Subcommittee meeting on Public Health (SANT) of 28 November 2023.

In its December 2023 resolution on non-communicable diseases, Parliament supports further research on the development of vaccines and innovative treatment options against HIV. It calls on the Member States to step up their support to ensure that all citizens, including vulnerable communities more at risk, can be tested, diagnosed and have rapid access to the best innovative care options. It encourages the Member States to invest in and support high-impact innovative combination prevention approaches.

This updates an ‘At a glance’ note from November 2023.

Read this ‘at a glance’ note on ‘World AIDS Day 2024: Still too many HIV infections‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.

Categories: European Union

Aleppó ismét a tűzvonalban: Oroszország újra beavatkozik a szíriai polgárháborúba

Biztonságpiac - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:22

Aleppó, a szíriai konfliktus epicentruma, ismét a világ figyelmét kereszttüzében találta magát. Oroszország, miután 2016-ban döntő szerepet játszott a város visszahódításában, most úgy tűnik, újra aktívan részt vesz a harcokban.

A szíriai ellenzéki erők, köztük a Törökország által támogatott fegyveres csoportok és a radikális Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) szervezet meglepetésszerű támadást indított Aleppó ellen, és rövid időn belül jelentős területeket foglaltak el. A váratlan fordulatot követően az orosz légierő is bekapcsolódott a harcokba, légicsapásokat mérve az ellenzéki állásokra.

A szíriai kormányerők, bár kezdetben jelentős veszteségeket szenvedtek, az orosz támogatásnak köszönhetően fokozatosan stabilizálják a frontot. Azonban a harcok következtében a civil lakosság szenved a legjobban, hiszen a város számos negyede romba dőlt, és rengetegen kényszerültek elhagyni otthonukat.

A szíriai konfliktus új fejezete nyílt. Az orosz beavatkozás felveti annak a kérdését, hogy vajon a térségben hosszú távú béke lesz-e elérhető, vagy a harcok még évekig elhúzódnak. Az események szorosan figyelemmel kísérést igényelnek, hiszen a szíriai helyzet hatással lehet az egész Közel-Kelet biztonságára.

The post Aleppó ismét a tűzvonalban: Oroszország újra beavatkozik a szíriai polgárháborúba appeared first on Biztonságpiac.

Categories: Biztonságpolitika

Ireland’s centre-right parties close in on re-election, may need new partner

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:19
Governing parties Fine Gael (EPP) and Fianna Fáil (Renew) were on 20.5% and 21.9% of first-preference votes respectively, according to a tally.
Categories: European Union

Restauration en Suisse: «Pas touche aux pourboires», dit la majorité des Suisses

24heures.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:19
L’idée de considérer les pourboires comme un revenu imposable est nettement rejetée, selon notre sondage. 69% s’expriment contre toute nouvelle taxe.
Categories: Swiss News

Soupçon d’arnaque: Partir vivre au Canada: le rêve d’une famille romande vire au cauchemar

24heures.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:12
Comme beaucoup de futurs immigrants, un couple a fait confiance à un site censé faciliter les démarches. Ils y ont laissé près de 7000 francs sans voir leur dossier avancer.
Categories: Swiss News

New EU top officials Costa, Kallas, Kos kick off mandate with support visit to Kyiv

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:10
EU and Ukrainian officials will discuss include aid, enlargement and Kyiv's pursuit of a ceasefire.
Categories: European Union

Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo, Russia conducts strikes in support of Assad

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 08:02
Acknowledging the rebel advance, the Syrian army command said insurgents had entered much of Aleppo.
Categories: European Union

Clashes erupt outside Georgia parliament between pro-EU protesters, police

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 07:50
Critics accuse Georgian Dream -- in power for more than a decade -- of having steered the country away from the EU in recent years and of moving closer to Russia.
Categories: European Union

Les meilleures footballeuses de Croatie en grève illimitée pour leur dignité

Courrier des Balkans - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 07:43

Le football féminin fait les gros titres en Croatie depuis deux semaines. Pas pour des exploits sportifs, mais parce que les joueuses du ŽNK Osijek, les plus titrées du pays, ont engagé un bras de fer avec la direction de leur club. En jeu : leur dignité de sportives et de travailleuses.

- Le fil de l'Info / , , , , ,
Categories: Balkans Occidentaux

Les meilleures footballeuses de Croatie en grève illimitée pour leur dignité

Courrier des Balkans / Croatie - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 07:43

Le football féminin fait les gros titres en Croatie depuis deux semaines. Pas pour des exploits sportifs, mais parce que les joueuses du ŽNK Osijek, les plus titrées du pays, ont engagé un bras de fer avec la direction de leur club. En jeu : leur dignité de sportives et de travailleuses.

- Le fil de l'Info / , , , , ,
Categories: Balkans Occidentaux

Romania’s far right expected to come first in parliamentary election

Euractiv.com - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 07:37
Gains by far-right groupings in Sunday's parliamentary vote after a campaign dominated by voters' concerns over budget problems and the cost of living could upend Romania's pro-Western orientation.
Categories: European Union

Explosion d'un canal dans le nord du Kosovo : Albin Kurti accuse la Serbie

Courrier des Balkans - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 07:30

Une explosion a détruit vendredi soir le canal Ibar-Lepenac, dans le nord du Kosovo, risquant de priver une partie du pays d'eau potable et d'électricité. Les autorités de Pristina ont aussitôt accusé la Serbie, évoquant même la responsabilité de la Russie.

- Le fil de l'Info / , , , , , , ,
Categories: Balkans Occidentaux

Bewohner ist knapp entkommen: Sibirischer Tiger greift Menschen im Dorf an

Blick.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 06:10
Gefährliche Begegnung in Nordchina: Ein Rentner entkommt knapp einem sibirischen Tiger. Andere Dorfbewohner wurden verletzt. Die Polizei hat mehrere Drohnen eingesetzt, um den Tiger aufzuspüren.
Categories: Swiss News

Grosser Fortschritt: Weltweit sinkende Infektionszahlen bei HIV und Aids

Blick.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 06:01
Am Sonntag ist Welt-Aids-Tag. Die lebensbedrohliche Immunschwächekrankheit hat sich seit Anfang der 80er Jahre weltweit ausgebreitet und Millionen Menschen getötet, insbesondere in Afrika. Zuletzt ist die Zahl der Infektions- und Todesfälle weltweit zurückgegangen.
Categories: Swiss News

Berner Platte – die SonntagsBlick-Kolumne: Startschuss für die Verkehrswende

Blick.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 06:00
Aline Trede über das Nein zum Autobahnausbau, das ein Auftrag an den Bundesrat ist.
Categories: Swiss News

Einblick in Sonnenkorona: Esa-Satellitenpaar soll präzisen Formationsflug zeigen

Blick.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 03:34
Zwei europäische Satelliten sollen erstmals einen präzisen Formationsflug im All demonstrieren. Die Mission soll Einblicke in die schwer sichtbare Sonnenkorona ermöglichen.
Categories: Swiss News

'They threw her body into the ocean' - woman dies on boat headed for French island

BBC Africa - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 02:21
Woman's body thrown overboard after boat abandoned by people smugglers in the Indian Ocean.
Categories: Africa

'They threw her body into the ocean' - woman dies on boat headed for French island

BBC Africa - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 02:21
Woman's body thrown overboard after boat abandoned by people smugglers in the Indian Ocean.
Categories: Africa

'They threw her body into the ocean' - woman dies on boat headed for French island

BBC Africa - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 02:21
Woman's body thrown overboard after boat abandoned by people smugglers in the Indian Ocean.
Categories: Africa

Weiterer Paukenschlag in den USA: Trump nominiert scharfen Washington-Kritiker Kash Patel als FBI-Direktor

Blick.ch - Sun, 12/01/2024 - 02:20
Brisante Nominierung: Trumps designierter FBI-Direktor Kash Patel ist ein erklärter Kritiker der US-Polizeibehörde und des Justizministeriums. In etablierten Washingtoner Kreisen sorgt damit eine weitere Trump-Ernennung für erhöhte Unruhe.
Categories: Swiss News

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