Will #PutPeopleFirst mantra drive HIV responses?
SHOBHA SHUKLA, BOBBY RAMAKANT - CNS
Even 1 TB or AIDS death is a death too many: we can prevent this, we have the tools.
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Science has gifted us proven tools to stop the spread of HIV infection, as well as to ensure that all people living with HIV live healthy and fulfilling lives. But we failed to save 630,000 people with HIV who died in 2022.
Science has proven that if people with HIV are on lifesaving antiretroviral therapy and remain virally suppressed, then there is zero risk of any further transmission of HIV from them to anyone else. According to WHO, "people living with HIV who have an undetectable viral load using any WHO-approved test and continue taking medication as prescribed have 'zero risk' of transmitting HIV to their sexual partner(s)." That is why undetectable equals untransmittable.
"If we are to end AIDS, we have to ensure that along with 100-100-100 (100% of people with HIV know their status, 100% of people with HIV are on lifesaving antiretroviral therapy, and 100% of them are virally suppressed), we also have to ensure that no one suffers or dies of TB," said Dr Ishwar Gilada who is part of the upcoming world's largest AIDS conference in Munich, Germany (25th International AIDS Conference or AIDS 2024). Dr Gilada is also on the Governing Council of International AIDS Society (IAS).
As treatment is prevention, it is time for accountability now
Despite knowing #UndetectableEqualsUntransmittable or #UequalsU, 1.3 million people got newly infected with HIV in 2022. If we had ensured that all people with HIV are virally suppressed and everyone has access to the full range of HIV combination prevention options, then we could have averted new infections.
#PutPeopleFirst
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