2021 UNAIDS Global AIDS Update — Confronting inequalities — Lessons for pandemic responses from 40 years of AIDS

UNAIDS report shows that people living with HIV face a double jeopardy, HIV and COVID-19, while key populations and children continue to be left behind in access to HIV services

People living with HIV are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death, yet the vast majority are denied access to COVID-19 vaccines. Key populations and their sexual partners account for 65% of new HIV infections but are largely left out of both HIV and COVID-19 responses—800 000 children living with HIV are not on the treatment they need to keep them alive.

GENEVA, 14 July 2021—The UNAIDS Global AIDS Update 2021.

Studies from England and South Africa have found that the risk of dying from COVID-19 among people living with HIV was double that of the general population. In sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to two thirds (67%) of people living with HIV, less than 3% had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 2021. At the same time, HIV prevention and treatment services are eluding key populations, as well as children and adolescents.

COVID-19 vaccines could save millions of lives in the developing world but are being kept out of reach as rich countries and corporations hold on tightly to the monopoly of production and delivery of supplies for profit. This is having a severe impact around the world as health systems in developing countries become overwhelmed, such as in Uganda, where football stadiums are being turned into makeshift hospitals.

The new UNAIDS report shows how COVID-19 lockdowns and other restrictions have badly disrupted HIV testing—in many countries this has led to steep drops in HIV diagnoses, referrals to care services and HIV treatment initiations. In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, for example, there was a 48% drop in HIV testing after the first national lockdown was imposed in April 2020. There were also fewer new HIV diagnoses and a marked drop in treatment initiation. This occurred as 28 000 HIV community health-care workers were shifted from HIV testing to COVID-19 symptom screening.

The report shows that many of the 19 countries that achieved the 90–90–90 targets by 2020 have been leaders in differentiated service delivery, where facility-based services are complimented by community-led services. Most have also included key populations as central to their responses. In Estonia, for example, the expansion of comprehensive harm reduction services was followed by a 61% countrywide reduction in HIV infections and a 97% reduction in new HIV infections among people who inject drugs.

HIV testing and treatment has been scaled up massively over the past 20 years. Some 27.4 million of the 37.7 million people living with HIV were on treatment in 2020. However, gaps in service provision are much larger for children than for adults. In 2020, around 800 000 children aged 0–14 years who were living with HIV were not on HIV treatment. Treatment coverage was 74% for adults but just 54% for children in 2020. Many children were not tested for HIV at birth and remain unaware of their HIV status, making finding them and bringing them into care a major challenge.

Refference: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/2021-unaids-global-aids-update-confronting-inequalities-lessons-pandemic-responses-40

Happy birthday to Checkpoint 7th birthday!

Checkpoint celebrates its 7th birthday and therefore we want to look back on the eventful year 2020. Despite the various challenges, it has been eventful and eventful. We have continued to provide free HIV, C, B hepatitis and syphilis tests and on-site consultations at the Test Point and on-site visits, we have conducted and organized professional trainings, prepared analytical information for the public about the situation.

We are grateful to all our supporters and will continue to do our job.

Slightly from 2020 in the pictures below and video.

1st of December World AIDS Day

According to official statistics, as of October 1, 2020, 8161 cases of HIV infection have been officially registered. Since 2016, HIV prevalence rates in Latvia are the highest in the European Union.

In 2018, a European study conducted by Riga Stradins University on mathematical modeling of HIV and testing of HIV testing activities in risk groups (HERMETIC) shows that the actual prevalence of HIV infection in Latvia is even one third higher, for about 10 thousand people. It must also be admitted that in Latvia about 60% find out about their HIV infection late – at the stage of AIDS, when they have been living with it for about 5-10 years and may have spread the virus without knowing it.

The tradition of celebrating World AIDS Day was introduced by the World Health Organization as far back as 1988, and December 1 is an annual day when the public is educated and informed about AIDS and the HIV infection that causes it through various events and activities. To celebrate this day, the international AIDS symbol – the red ribbon – is also widely used.

We are open again

Rapid and anonymous testing for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C. Please call and make appointment to avoid crowding.

The result – within 20 minutes.

Information and to book an appointment, please call: +371 28441324 or e-mail: testpunkts@gmail.com

Working hours in Riga:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 18:00 – 21:00 at Merkela Street 11

Tuesdays 17:00 – 21:00 Stabu Street 19 . We work with the support of LGBT and their friends association MOZAĪKA and LGBT House Riga