<\/p>\n
On 1 December WHO is calling on global leaders and citizens to rally for\u00a0\u201cglobal solidarity\u201d to maintain essential HIV services during COVID 19 and beyond – and to ensure continued provision of HIV services for children, adolescents
\n and populations most at risk for the disease. The Organization also calls on countries to provide health workers with greater protection and support so they can continue their work safely during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Protecting people from HIV during the pandemic, and ensuring they can maintain treatment, is critical. Researchers are currently investigating whether people with HIV have an increased risk of poor outcomes with COVID-19. A preliminary analysis\u00a0of hospitalized
This preliminary evidence of moderate increased vulnerability of people with HIV makes it even more urgent that people with HIV have access to antiretrovirals (ARVs)\u00a0 and treatments for co-morbidities \u2013 such as treatment
WHO and partners sounded the alarm earlier this year, concerned at the impact of reported disruptions in service delivery. But now, thanks to the unstinting work of health and community workers, the number of countries reporting disruptions in HIV
This is mainly due to the implementation of existing guidelines, including providing multi-month dispensing (MMD) of ARVs for 3-6 months to patients who did not have access to health facilities; strong WHO-led global, regional, country, manufacturer
But countries have also introduced a number of effective adaptations and innovations in service delivery during COVID-19. These include:\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOn World AIDS Day 2020, we pay tribute to the communities and countries who have shown resilience and innovation – often spearheaded by people themselves living with HIV,\u201c says Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO\u2019s Department of Global
Progress towards global targets for diagnosis and treatment has slowed down considerably this year.<\/p>\n
\n people with COVID-19 from 21 countries reported to the\u00a0WHO Global COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform<\/a>\u00a0reveals that among the 61\u00a0414 people hospitalized with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection, 5\u00a0291 (8.6%) have an HIV positive status which was found to increase the risk for death when adjusted for severity of illness, age, gender and comorbidity burden;\u00a0the absolute risk for all in the analysis was low.<\/p>\n
\n for non communicable diseases (NCDs), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and tuberculosis.<\/p>\n
\n services has declined by almost 75% since June. Only 9 of the 152 countries surveyed are still reporting disruptions (maps: June 2020<\/a> – November 2020<\/a>); and in June, 24 countries reported less than 3 months supply of ARVs, while now only
\n 12 report a critically low stock.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n and partner coordination to ensure adequate supply of drugs stocks, and sustained provision of facility-based essential health services and community delivery mechanisms.<\/p>\n\n
\n and highly skilled staff.<\/li>\n
\n HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes. \u201cThis is vital, because while we focus on fighting this new pandemic, we must not drop our guard on a twin pandemic that has been with us for 40 years and which is far from over.”<\/p>\n