The world has made significant progress since the late 1990s, but HIV remains a major global public health issue. Similar to other major health issues, COVID-19 pandemic has increased the challenges faced by those infected with HIV.
HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care services are all being disrupted particularly in countries with fragile health systems. The breakdown in essential HIV services due to COVID-19 is threatening lives. Any slowing down in provision of these services will leave many vulnerable populations at greater risk of HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths.
What is World AIDS day?
Each year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first-ever international day for global health. Every year, United Nations agencies, governments and civil society join together to campaign around specific themes related to HIV. Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme and this year it will be - global solidarity, shared responsibility. This year’s theme joins a growing list of challenges that World AIDS Day has alerted people globally.
World Health Organisation on HIV/AIDS -
"HIV continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed almost 33 million lives so far. 38 million people in the world have been living with HIV at the end of 2019, " says WHO.
WHAT IS HIV?
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex (sex without a condom) or through sharing injection drug equipment ( HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV).
What Is AIDS?
AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus. If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
Is AIDS different from HIV?
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a term that applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. It is defined by the occurrence of any of the more than 20 life-threatening cancers or “opportunistic infections”, so named because they take advantage of a weakened immune system.
AIDS was a defining feature of the earlier years of the HIV epidemic, before antiretroviral therapy (ART) became available. Now, as more and more people access ART, the condition of most people living with HIV do not progress to AIDS. However, it is more likely to occur in people with HIV who have not been tested, in people who are diagnosed at a late stage of infection and in people who are not taking ART.
Read: One child or teen infected with HIV every 100 seconds last year: UNICEF
Status Of HIV In India -
As per the latest HIV estimates report (2019) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in association with National AIDS Control Organisation, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Medical Statistics.
In 2019 at the national level, there were an estimated 23.49 lakh people living with HIV (PLHIV). The HIV epidemic has an overall decreasing trend in the country with estimated annual new HIV infections declining by 37% between 2010 and 2019.
Prevalence of HIV in adults (15–49 years) was 0.22% (0.17– 0.29%).Children living with HIV (CLHIV) comprised 3.4% of the total PLHIV estimates. HIV-infected women (15+ years) constituted around 44% of the total estimated 15+ years PLHIV.
There were 69.22 thousand (37.03 thousand – 121.50 thousand) new HIV infections in 2019 which has declined by 37% since 2010 and by 86% since reaching peak in 1997. There were 58.96 thousand (33.61 thousand – 102.16 thousand) AIDS-related deaths in 2019, which has declined by 66% since 2010.
Symptoms of HIV
As per WHO - many people do not feel symptoms of HIV in the first few months after infection and may not know that they are infected. Others may experience influenza-like symptoms, including fever, headache, rash and sore throat. However, these first few months are when the virus is most infectious.
As the disease progresses, symptoms will be expanded and more pronounced. These can include swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. HIV weakens the body’s ability to fight other infections, and without treatment, people will become more susceptible to other severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, bacterial infections and some cancers including lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Diagnosis of HIV
Diagnosis of HIV uses rapid tests that produce the result on the same day and can be done at home, although a laboratory test is required to confirm the infection. This early identification greatly improves treatment options and reduces the risk of transmission to other people including sexual or drug-sharing partners.
Treatment of HIV
HIV is fully preventable. Effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) prevents HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. Someone who is on antiretroviral therapy and virally suppressed will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
Condoms prevent HIV and for other sexually transmitted infections and prophylaxis antiretroviral medicines are used to prevent HIV. Harm reduction (needle syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy) prevents HIV and other blood-borne infections for people who inject drugs.
HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy consisting of one or more medicines. ART does not cure HIV but reduces its replication in the blood, thereby reducing the viral load to an undetectable level.
ART should be taken on a daily basis for life long. People can continue with safe and effective ART if they adhere to their treatment. In cases when ART becomes ineffective due to reasons such as losing contact of health care providers and drug stockouts, people will need to switch to other medicines to protect their health.
Also read: From AIDS to COVID-19, drug story from India
