HIV is not an epidemic of the past in Latin America, says UNAIDS

UNAIDS regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Luisa Cabal, stressed on Monday in Panama, during training for modeling estimates on the AIDS virus, the importance of understanding that HIV is not an epidemic of the past in this region.

Cabal suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic meant neglecting other diseases, such as AIDS, leading to a five percent increase in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2021.

“One out of every three countries with an increase in new infections globally is in LatAm,” the official remarked.

Cabal also warned about the stigma and discrimination surrounding the disease, leading to an increase in late diagnoses.

An improvement in the statistics from this year onwards, she said, will allow policies and investments to be targeted to meet the goals focused on reducing new infections, in addition to increasing access to treatment, by 2030.

The UNAIDS regional director also regretted that the targets set in LatAm for 2020 could not be met.

According to Cabal, inequalities make it difficult to prevent new infections. And the most vulnerable people also do not have easy access to HIV treatment.

However, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of investing in health.

To reduce HIV-related inequalities, Cabal proposes eliminating all laws that criminalize the transmission of the virus, transgender people, and homosexual behavior, in addition to combating violence, the UNAIDS director concluded.

The meeting, which will last until Friday, will be attended by specialists from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, according to the organization of the activity.