World AIDS Day is being observed today across the globe with the theme “End inequalities. End AIDS”.
In Nepal, the infection rate of HIV/AIDS has gradually decreased, according to a comparative study carried out after analyzing the data of 10 years. At an interaction organized by National Centre for AIDS and STD Control, the Centre’s Director Dr Sudha Devkota said that the infection rate of HIV/AIDS had decreased by 63 per cent.
On the occasion, it was shared that the number of children living with HIV/AIDS stood at 215 in 2010, while the number was reduced 80 in 2020.
Likewise, a total of 1,413 people had succumbed to the HIV/ AIDS a decade ago while the fatality had reduced to 636 in 2020.
In 2020, altogether 2,061 new cases were detected while the number of new cases was limited to 754 this year.
The Centre has argued that HIV infection in the country is gradually decreasing due to regular treatment, care and support program.
For the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, Nepal Government has been promoting use of condom, HIV counselling and test, diagnosis and treatment of sexual disease, and anti-retroviral (ARV) services.
In Nepal, of the total population, around 30,000 people are living with HIV, among which adult prevalence rate stands at 0.13 per cent.
HIV remains a major public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide. Division, disparity and disregard for human rights are among the failures that allowed HIV to become and remain a global health crisis. Now, COVID-19 is exacerbating inequities and disruptions to services, making the lives of many people living with HIV more challenging.
