The West Coast Region one (WCR1) health director has said that though the prevalence rate of HIV1 which stood at 1.6% in The Gambia is comparatively low, there should be no room for complacency. Alagie saine said the UNAIDS's latest report shows that since the beginning of the AIDs pandemic millions of individuals worldwide have been infected with HIV. By the end of 2012, the report added, more than 33 million were infected and closed to 3 million people have died of AIDS related illnesses. Saine made these remarks on Wednesday while deputizing for the director of health services Dr Adama Demba, at a high level experts meeting on HIV care and treatment in West and Central Africa held at NaNA conference hall. The event was a follow up activity, organised by Hands on Care in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The forum was aimed at discussing the experts report on HIV care and treatment, with a view to identifying the Gambia's strengths and weaknesses in relation to the attainment of the 15+15 on care and treatment and make recommendations on the way forward. Saine said that the HIV and AIDS crisis is a huge global issue and the AIDS virus is perhaps one of the most talked about and feared tiny organism that has become a major public health problem. "In Sub-Saharan Africa where HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death, over 22 million people have been infected by the end of 2012," he he revealed. However, in many countries in Africa HIV surveillance are now showing declining infection rates. The regional health director for WCR1 told the participants that the Abuja summit of African Health Ministries in April 2006, the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (UNGASS+5) high level meeting in New York in May 2006 and the UNAIDS getting to 3 zeros global agenda (zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths, zero discrimination) are all geared towards providing universal access to HIV treatment, care and support.

"I reaffirm government's commitment to combating HIV/ AIDS, I wish to challenge you all to re-double your efforts and mobilize resources for effective HIV response," he said. He thanked UNAIDS for funding the workshop and for supporting other government activities.

UNAIDS country officer Nuha Ceesay, said the high level meeting held in December in Senegal 2012 was because after almost 30 years into AIDS epidemic, HIV remains a major challenge. He said, access to treatment has been a challenge in many countries particularly in West and Central Africa. "the UNAIDS regional office decided to bring experts to discuss those challenges and how countries can respond to those challenges with the view to ensuring that HIV treatment is not limited to only few but extended to those who need it," he stated. UNAIDS officer disclosed that the Global fund earlier launched its strategic plans called investment for impact, UNAIDS and getting to zero. Ceesay noted that The Gambia is in the process of reviewing its HIV policy to accomodate the inputs of people at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS. He revealed that the Gambia is preparing to submit another application to the global fund under the new funding mechanism designed to promote universal access to HIV care and treatment. UNAIDS country officer noted that another tool that has been introduced recently is risk management tool under the global fund grant.