When HIV/AIDS was one of the main problems affecting people in Africa and around the world in the middle of the 1990s, it was different from other diseases. I was born during a time when HIV was not well understood. Because I had a chance and was born in a hospital, I not was impacted by it. Because in African communities, babies were delivered at home with the assistance of elderly women, the majority of the kids who were born around the same period as me were seriously afflicted by the illness. My generation has been severely impacted by HIV/AIDS since everyone is reluctant to form romantic relationships due to stigmatization and worries that they might get HIV as a result of societal prejudice. It has had a significant impact on the world’s population as well as economic factors.

Now with the introduction of new HIV/AIDS medication am still wondering if one day will end up getting a cure for the disease because every day we have new infections and the virus continues to spread like wildfire. Most heterosexual couples still find it difficult to talk about HIV, and few people are contemplating using PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy. Given the individual nature of each person’s situation, there may be additional obstacles to knowing about or obtaining PrEP. Considerations such as a person’s stability of the relationship, immigration status, and other cultural factors are important. With all of this in mind, many women may not feel empowered to engage in an open discussion regarding PrEP use. HIV-related stigma and misinformation still permeate many communities, especially those comprised of women and people of color. On top of this, many people today still do not view HIV as a concern.

Introduction

Around 26 million people in Africa are HIV positive, which represents 70% of all AIDS-related fatalities globally. HIV/AIDS is still a major public health concern in this region. Even though there have been fewer new HIV infections, the region’s incidence of the virus is still unacceptably high. With the African Region having met its HIV targets of them, significant progress has been made in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Since 2000, there has been a 41% decrease in new HIV infections, and more than 11 million people with HIV are receiving treatment, which has helped to reduce the number of HIV-related fatalities by up to 48%. Despite significant improvements, the response is primarily dependent on outside funding due to insufficient domestic funding, insufficient service coverage, and an expansion rate that is too sluggish to meet regional targets. In several nations, the prevalence of HIV is still rising, particularly among young women and girls in their adolescence. The rise in morbidity and mortality from co-infections such as viral hepatitis and tuberculosis puts a strain on the reductions in HIV-related deaths brought on by treatment. Access to health treatments is nevertheless hampered by stigma and discrimination, especially for young women, children, and other important populations like sex workers.

The World Health Assembly approved a revision to WHO strategies in acknowledgment of the enduring difficulties. The suggested framework intends to serve as a roadmap for Member States in the African Area as they execute the Global Health Sector Strategy on HIV. It outlines steps to quicken HIV prevention and treatment efforts in the African region to stop the AIDS pandemic. Prioritizing HIV prevention, extending HIV testing services using a variety of strategies, and scaling up antiretroviral medication by leveraging cutting-edge service delivery models are just a few of the suggested steps.

The political commitment to combating HIV/AIDS is still strong and expanding. The establishment of the, to eradicate the HIV/AIDS pandemic by 2030, serves as an illustration of this on a global scale. Additionally, there has been a sharp increase in domestic HIV/AIDS funding from Member States as well as external funding, particularly from PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) of the United States, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM), and other bilateral and multilateral sources.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IDENTITY

”We champion health and a better future for all Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance to live a healthy life”

WHAT IS WHO?

WHO, a United Nations body established in 1948, brings together countries, partners, and individuals to advance health, ensure global security, and assist the most vulnerable people so that everyone can enjoy the best possible level of global health. WHO is in charge of expanding access to universal health care globally. We oversee and organize the international response to health emergencies. Additionally, we advocate for healthier lifestyles from prenatal care to old age. Our Triple Billion targets set forward an ambitious strategy for the globe to achieve good health for all through policies and initiatives that are founded on research.

Our effort is to create a world that is healthier and safer, we use science. Global initiatives to improve everyone’s health is spearheaded and supported by the World Health Organization. We work to provide everyone, everywhere with an equal shot at a safe and healthy life by linking nations, people, and partners. We bring together 194 countries and work on the front lines in more than 150 locations to address the biggest health challenges of our time and measurably improve the well-being of people around the world. These challenges range from emerging epidemics to persistent threats of communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS and chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. WHO, as the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the United Nations system, adheres to the UN values of integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity. The values of the WHO workforce furthermore reflect the principles of human rights, universality, and equity established in WHO’s Constitution as well as the ethical standards of the Organization. These values are inspired by the WHO vision of a world in which all peoples attain the highest possible level of health, and our mission to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable, with measurable impact on people at the country level. We are individually and collectively committed to putting these values into practice.

What is HIV/AIDS?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an infection that targets the body’s immune system, particularly the CD4 cells, which are white blood cells. As a result of HIV’s destruction of these CD4 cells, a person’s resistance to opportunistic diseases like tuberculosis and fungal infections, severe bacterial infections, and several malignancies is weakened. WHO advises being tested for HIV if you think you could be at risk. Comprehensive and efficient HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services should be sought out by those who are more likely to contract HIV. HIV infection can be identified quickly, with low-cost testing, self-tests, counseling, accurate results, and connections to treatment and other services.

When a person is diagnosed with HIV, antiretroviral medication (ART) should be made available to them as soon as possible. They should also be regularly checked using clinical and laboratory parameters, such as a blood test to check for the presence of the virus (viral load). When taken continuously, ART also stops the spread of HIV to others. To evaluate a person’s immunological status, a CD4 cell count should be performed at the time of diagnosis or soon after commencing ART. The need for preventative treatment is determined by the CD4 cell count, a blood test that measures the course of HIV illness, including the risk of contracting opportunistic infections.

The amount of HIV in the blood is determined by the viral load test. The success of ART is evaluated by this test, which tracks the rate of viral replication. Treatment aims to lower the viral load in the blood to undetectable levels (less than 50 copies/ml), and the persistent presence of detectable viral load (greater than 1000 copies/ml) in people with HIV on ART is an indication of inadequate treatment response and the necessity to change or adjust the treatment regimen. Infections with HIV are expected to drop from 1.5 million in 2020 to 335 000 by 2030, and fatalities are expected to drop from 680 000 in 2020 to under 240 000 in 2030, according to the WHO’s global health sector plan on HIV for the years 2022–2030.

Social and economic status and HIV/AIDS

Socioeconomic status (SES) includes not just money but also the level of education, financial stability, and self-perceived social standing and class. A person’s socioeconomic position might include aspects of their quality of life as well as the possibilities and privileges that are available to them in society. In particular, poverty is defined by numerous physical and psychosocial stressors rather than being caused by a single reason. Furthermore, a wide range of outcomes across the life span, including physical and mental health, are consistently and accurately predicted by SES. SES is thus relevant to research, education, and advocacy in all fields of behavioral and social science.