Less than 1% of the Egyptian population HIV positive: Ministry of Health – Health – Egypt

File photo: Acting Minister of Health of Egypt Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar. Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Health Facebook page.

International AIDS Day, celebrated on December 1 each year, was first celebrated in 1988 to raise awareness of this deadly disease.

To combat the HIV epidemic, the Ministry of Health created the National AIDS Control Program (NAP) almost 35 years ago when the first cases of HIV infection were detected in 1986.

In a statement, Ministry of Health and Population spokesperson Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said Egypt was committed to the global AIDS strategy within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ), which aim to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

This strategy focuses on intensifying efforts to reach as many infected people as possible, provide care for those infected, and ensure adherence to therapy and the effectiveness of health services.

Abdel-Ghaffar stressed that the provision of all services to citizens and people living with HIV is free and confidential, including awareness raising, health advice, medical examinations, antiviral drugs and aftercare.

Twenty-seven centers nationwide provide care and treatment services for those infected, he noted, adding that counseling and voluntary examination services are provided by 24 other centers.

The spokesperson also referred to the launch of the Egyptian PAN website to ensure dissemination of accurate information on HIV and to raise awareness.

Dr Heba El-Sayed, Director of NAP, explained that the most important achievement of the national AIDS response in 2021 was to ensure the continued delivery of all treatments with full government funding.

This, El-Sayed added, came with the aim of providing treatment for those infected and dispensing medicine for more than a month during the coronavirus pandemic to avoid overcrowding in the centers, as well as to expand the provision of surgical and medical services to people living with HIV.

She also confirmed the importance of updating the National AIDS Strategy 2021-2025 to respond to the updated Global AIDS Strategy launched by the United Nations AIDS Program (UNAIDS).

The Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, titled “End Inequalities, End AIDS,” uses an inequalities lens to close the gaps that are preventing progress in ending AIDS and sets new targets and bold policies to be achieved by 2025 to propel new energy and a new commitment to end AIDS.

Dr Walid Kamal, UNAIDS Country Director for Egypt, said: “In light of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, we are working with the Egyptian NAP to expand the reach of HIV services. HIV testing to improve access for people living with HIV. integrated health treatment, care, support and services.

Kamal also praised the efforts of the Egyptian government to provide and promote high quality prevention, treatment and care services for all citizens with the support of the government to ensure the continued provision of treatment to cohabitants, according to the press release.

According to the latest UNAIDS figures for 2020, around 37.7 million people are living with HIV globally, ranking Egypt among the countries with the lowest infection rate.

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