Cuba Reduces HIV/AIDS Mortality

In Cuba, 35,373 people are living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Jacqueline Sánchez, head of the sexually transmitted infection control strategy at the Ministry of Public Health, recently told Prensa Latina.

The official from the STI, HIV, and Hepatitis Prevention and Control Program stated, on the occasion of World AIDS Day on December 1st. That Cuba has achieved positive results in indicators that impact this health issue. Such as the reduction of new infections and mortality from this cause.

According to Dr. Sánchez, the annual number of people diagnosed with HIV in Cuba decreased to 1,708, a 14.5 percent reduction. Likewise, the number of annual deaths due to this condition fell to 114 (a 39 percent decrease).

Meanwhile, the Caribbean nation aims to achieve 95 percent coverage of antiretroviral diagnosis and treatment. Expand prophylaxis and combined prevention to reach key populations. And reduce inequalities and eliminate the social stigma surrounding these patients.

Currently, there are approximately 40.8 million people living with HIV worldwide. A 27 percent increase compared to 2010, with about 1.3 million new cases reported annually.

In addition, nearly 630,000 people die annually from HIV-related causes. According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

However, there are 40 percent fewer new infections annually compared to 2010. As well as 54 percent fewer deaths compared to that year.

In the Americas region, there are currently about 4.2 million people living with HIV.

The aforementioned geographic area also shows a 1 percent increase in new annual infections compared to 2010. But a 41 percent decrease in new annual infections.

Meanwhile, Africa has 26.3 million people living with HIV, Southeast Asia 610,000, Europe 3.2 million, the Western Pacific region 3.0 million, and the Eastern Mediterranean region 610,000.

On the other hand, the African region accounts for 65 percent of the world’s people living with HIV and half of all new annual infections, with 650,000.

Africa is followed at a distance in this latter aspect by the Americas (170,000), the Western Pacific and Europe (160,000), Southeast Asia (88,000), and the Eastern Mediterranean (72,000).

With information from Prensa Latina

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