Maputo — The Mozambican health authorities have recorded, in the last eight years, a reduction of AIDS-related deaths by 19 percent, which means that the 54,000 cases recorded in 2015 fell to 44,000 in 2023.
In the same period, there was also a reduction in new HIV infections, from 143,000 in 2015 to 81,000 in 2023.
The same trend can be seen in the number of new HIV infections in children (aged 0 to 14), which fell from 19,000 in 2015 to 12,000 in 2023, and the rate of vertical transmission of HIV (from pregnant women to their unborn children) fell from 16 per cent in 2015 to 10 per cent in 2023.
The figures were announced on Sunday by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, in his message marking World AIDS Day, held this year under the motto "Be in solidarity, say no to stigma and discrimination.'
Nyusi explained that the motto was chosen because, worldwide, stigma and discriminatory practices continue to slow down the fight against AIDS, and Mozambique is no exception.
"In Mozambique, stigma and discrimination are also barriers to accessing HIV prevention and treatment services. HIV-AIDS is conditioning the socio-economic development and well-being of Mozambicans. There are still important challenges that we need to face collectively, with responsibility and determination', he said.
He urged young people and teenagers in particular "not to lose focus and to put this issue on the back burner. We need to turn this year's motto into a guide for action and behaviour, because HIV and AIDS will only be defeated if everyone's rights are respected.'
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"I hope for positive attitudes to combat stigma and discrimination', said Nyusi. "Each one of us must contribute to the success of our response to HIV and AIDS, be it individually, with families, communities, in places of worship, on public transport, in the workplace, as well as in all the places where we live together'.
According to the President, the gains made in the last 10 years in response to HIV and AIDS have been remarkable and demonstrate that it is possible to successfully combat AIDS as a threat to public health, with an emphasis on access to HIV services.
"In 2015, only 46 per cent of people living with HIV knew their diagnosis, compared to 89 per cent in 2023.The number of people who knew their diagnosis and were on treatment rose from 41 per cent in 2015 to 86 per cent in 2013. And in 2016, only 31 per cent of people on antiretroviral treatment had achieved viral suppression, compared to 77 per cent in 2023', he said.
The health authorities introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis in a phased manner in 2017, reaching the whole country by 2021.
Since 2020, HIV self-testing has been carried out in Mozambique to reach hard-to-reach groups and create greater demand and, by June 2024, around 1.4 million self-tests had been distributed.
