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Ten FACTS on HIV/AIDS
Thursday, November 30, 2017
World AIDS Day (December 1st) Right to Health
World
AIDS Day (December 1st) 2017: Everybody counts
- Leave
no one behind.
- HIV,
tuberculosis and hepatitis services are integrated.
- High-quality
services are available for those with HIV.
- People
living with HIV have access to affordable care.
- The
HIV response is robust and leads to stronger health systems
Updated information on HIV/AIDS_2017
WHO fact sheet on HIV/AIDS (November 2017)
Key facts
·
HIV continues to be a major global public health
issue, having claimed more than 35 million lives so far. In 2016, 1.0 million
people died from HIV-related causes globally.
·
There were approximately 36.7 million people living
with HIV at the end of 2016 with 1.8 million people becoming newly infected in
2016 globally.
·
54% of adults and 43% of children living with HIV
are currently receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
·
Global ART coverage for pregnant and breastfeeding
women living with HIV is high at 76% .
·
The WHO African Region is the most affected region,
with 25.6 million people living with HIV in 2016. The African region also
accounts for almost two thirds of the global total of new HIV infections.
·
HIV infection is often diagnosed through rapid
diagnostic tests (RDTs), which detect the presence or absence of HIV
antibodies. Most often these tests provide same-day test results, which are
essential for same day diagnosis and early treatment and care.
·
Key populations are groups who are at increased risk
of HIV irrespective of epidemic type or local context. They include: men who
have sex with men, people who inject drugs, people in prisons and other closed
settings, sex workers and their clients, and transgender people.
·
Key populations often have legal and social issues
related to their behaviours that increase vulnerability to HIV and reduce
access to testing and treatment programmes.
·
In 2015, an estimated 44% of new infections occurred
among key populations and their partners.
·
There is no cure for HIV infection. However,
effective antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can control the virus and help prevent
transmission so that people with HIV, and those at substantial risk, can enjoy
healthy, long and productive lives.
·
It is estimated that currently only 70% of people
with HIV know their status. To reach the target of 90%, an additional 7.5
million people need to access HIV testing services. In mid-2017, 20.9 million
people living with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally.
·
Between 2000 and 2016, new HIV infections fell by
39%, and HIV-related deaths fell by one third with 13.1 million lives saved due
to ART in the same period. This achievement was the result of great efforts by
national HIV programmes supported by civil society and a range of development
partners.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) targets the immune system
and weakens people's defence systems against infections and some types of
cancer. As the virus destroys and impairs the function of immune cells,
infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient. Immune function is
typically measured by CD4 cell count.
Immunodeficiency results in increased susceptibility to a wide
range of infections, cancers and other diseases that people with healthy immune
systems can fight off.
The most advanced stage of HIV infection is Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop
depending on the individual. AIDS is defined by the development of certain
cancers, infections, or other severe clinical manifestations.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the stage of infection.
Though people living with HIV tend to be most infectious in the first few
months, many are unaware of their status until later stages. The first few
weeks after initial infection, individuals may experience no symptoms or an
influenza-like illness including fever, headache, rash, or sore throat.
As the infection progressively weakens the immune system, an
individual can develop other signs and symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes,
weight loss, fever, diarrhoea and cough. Without treatment, they could also
develop severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, severe
bacterial infections and cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma, among others.
Transmission
HIV can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety of body
fluids from infected individuals, such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal
secretions. Individuals cannot become infected through ordinary day-to-day
contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects,
food or water.
Risk factors
·
Behaviours and conditions that put individuals at greater risk of
contracting HIV include:
·
having unprotected anal or vaginal sex;
·
having another sexually transmitted infection such
as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and bacterial vaginosis;
·
sharing contaminated needles, syringes and other
injecting equipment and drug solutions when injecting drugs;
·
receiving unsafe injections, blood transfusions,
tissue transplantation, medical procedures that involve unsterile cutting or
piercing; and
·
experiencing accidental needle stick injuries,
including among health workers.
Diagnosis
Serological tests, such as RDTs or enzyme immunoassays (EIAs),
detect the presence or absence of antibodies to HIV-1/2 and/or HIV p24 antigen.
No single HIV test can provide an HIV-positive diagnosis. It is important that
these tests are used in combination and in a specific order that has been
validated and is based on HIV prevalence of the population being tested. HIV
infection can be detected with great accuracy, using WHO prequalified tests
within a validated approach.
It is important to note that serological tests detect antibodies
produced by an individual as part of their immune system to fight off foreign
pathogens, rather than direct detection of HIV itself.
Most individuals develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of
infection and therefore antibodies may not be detectable early, during the
so-called window period. This early period of infection represents the time of
greatest infectivity; however HIV transmission can occur during all stages of
the infection.
It is best practice to also retest all people initially diagnosed
as HIV-positive before they enrol in care and/or treatment to rule out any
potential testing or reporting error. Notably, once a person diagnosed with HIV
and has started treatment they should not be retested.
Testing and diagnosis of HIV-exposed infants has been a challenge.
For infants and children less than 18 months of age, serological testing is not
sufficient to identify HIV infection – virological testing must be provided (at
6 weeks of age, or as early as birth) to detect the presence of the virus in
infants born to mothers living with HIV. However, new technologies are now
becoming available to perform the test at the point of care and enable return
of the result on the same day to accelerate appropriate linkage and treatment
initiation.
HIV testing services
HIV testing should be voluntary and the right to decline testing
should be recognized. Mandatory or coerced testing by a health care provider,
authority, or by a partner or family member is not acceptable as it undermines
good public health practice and infringes on human rights.
New technologies to help people test themselves are being
introduced, with many countries implementing self-testing as an additional
option to encourage HIV diagnosis. HIV self-testing is a process whereby a
person who wants to know his or her HIV status collects a specimen, performs a
test and interprets the test results in private or with someone they trust. HIV
self-testing does not provide a definitive HIV-positive diagnosis – instead, it
is an initial test which requires further testing by a health worker.
The sexual partners and drug injecting partners of people
diagnosed with HIV infection have an increased probability of also being
HIV-positive. WHO recommends assisted HIV partner notification services as a
simple and effective way to reach these partners, many of whom are undiagnosed
and unaware of their HIV exposure, and may welcome support and an opportunity
to test for HIV.
All HIV testing services must follow the 5 Cs principles
recommended by WHO:
·
informed Consent
·
Confidentiality
·
Counselling
·
Correct test results
·
Connection (linkage to care, treatment and other
services).
Prevention
Individuals can reduce the risk of HIV infection by limiting
exposure to risk factors. Key approaches for HIV prevention, which are often
used in combination, are listed below.
Male and female condom use
Correct and consistent use of male and female condoms during
vaginal or anal penetration can protect against the spread of sexually
transmitted infections, including HIV. Evidence shows that male latex condoms
have an 85% or greater protective effect against HIV and other sexually
transmitted infections (STIs).
Testing and counselling for HIV and STIs
Testing for HIV and other STIs is strongly advised for all people
exposed to any of the risk factors. This way people learn of their own
infection status and access necessary prevention and treatment services without
delay. WHO also recommends offering testing for partners or couples.
Additionally, WHO is recommending assisted partner notification approaches so
that people with HIV receive support to inform their partners either on their
own, or with the help of health care providers.
Testing and counselling, linkages to tuberculosis
care
Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common presenting illness and cause
of death among people with HIV. It is fatal if undetected or untreated and is
the leading cause of death among people with HIV, responsible for 1 of 3
HIV-associated deaths.
Early detection of TB and prompt linkage to TB treatment and ART
can prevent these deaths. TB screening should be offered routinely at HIV care
services and routine HIV testing should be offered to all patients with
presumptive and diagnosed TB. Individuals who are diagnosed with HIV and active
TB should urgently start effective TB treatment (including for multidrug
resistant TB) and ART. TB preventive therapy should be offered to all people with
HIV who do not have active TB.
Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC)
Medical male circumcision, reduces the risk of heterosexually
acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%. This is a key prevention
intervention supported in 15 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA)
with high HIV prevalence and low male circumcision rates. VMMC is also regarded
as a good approach to reach men and adolescent boys who do not often seek
health care services. Since the 2007 WHO recommendation for VMMC as an
additional prevention strategy, nearly 15 million adolescent boys and men in
ESA were provided a package of services including HIV testing and education on
safer sex and condom use.
Antiretroviral drug use for prevention
Prevention benefits of ART
A 2011 trial has confirmed that if an HIV-positive person adheres
to an effective ART regimen, the risk of transmitting the virus to their
uninfected sexual partner can be reduced by 96%. The WHO recommendation to
initiate ART in all people living with HIV will contribute significantly to
reducing HIV transmission.
Pre-exposure
prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-negative partner
Oral PrEP of HIV is the daily use of ARV drugs by HIV-negative
people to block the acquisition of HIV. More than 10 randomized controlled studies
have demonstrated the effectiveness of PrEP in reducing HIV transmission among
a range of populations including serodiscordant heterosexual couples (where one
partner is infected and the other is not), men who have sex with men,
transgender women, high-risk heterosexual couples, and people who inject drugs.
WHO recommends PrEP as a prevention choice for people at
substantial risk of HIV infection as part of a combination of prevention
approaches. WHO has also expanded these recommendations to HIV-negative women
who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Post-exposure
prophylaxis for HIV (PEP)
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is the use of ARV drugs within 72
hours of exposure to HIV in order to prevent infection. PEP includes
counselling, first aid care, HIV testing, and administration of a 28-day course
of ARV drugs with follow-up care. WHO recommends PEP use for both occupational
and non-occupational exposures and for adults and children.
Harm reduction for people who inject and use drugs
People who inject drugs can take precautions against becoming
infected with HIV by using sterile injecting equipment, including needles and
syringes, for each injection and not sharing drug using equipment and drug
solutions. Treatment of dependence, and in particular opioid substitution
therapy for people dependent on opioids, also helps reduce the risk of HIV
transmission and supports adherence to HIV treatment. A comprehensive package
of interventions for HIV prevention and treatment includes:
·
needle and syringe programmes;
·
opioid substitution therapy for people dependent on
opioids and other evidence-based drug dependence treatment;
·
HIV testing and counselling;
·
HIV treatment and care;
·
risk-reduction information and education and
provision of naloxone;
·
access to condoms; and
·
management of STIs, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis.
Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV
(EMTCT)
The transmission of HIV from an HIV-positive mother to her child
during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding is called vertical or
mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). In the absence of any interventions during
these stages, rates of HIV transmission from mother-to-child can be between
15–=45%. MTCT can be nearly fully prevented if both the mother and the baby are
provided with ARV drugs as early as possible in pregnancy and during the period
of breastfeeding.
WHO recommends lifelong ART for all people living with HIV,
regardless of their CD4 count clinical stage of disease, and this includes
women who pregnant or breastfeeding. In 2016, 76% of the estimated 1.4 million
pregnant women living with HIV globally received ARV treatments to prevent transmission
to their children. A growing number of countries are achieving very low rates
of MTCT and some (Armenia, Belarus, Cuba and Thailand) have been formally
validated for elimination of MTCT of HIV as a public health problem. Several
countries with a high burden of HIV infection are also progressing along the
path to elimination.
Treatment
HIV can be suppressed by combination ART consisting of 3 or more
ARV drugs. ART does not cure HIV infection but suppresses viral replication
within a person's body and allows an individual's immune system to strengthen
and regain the capacity to fight off infections.
In 2016, WHO released the second edition of the Consolidated
guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV
infection. These guidelines recommend to provide lifelong ART to all people
living with HIV, including children, adolescents and adults, pregnant and
breastfeeding women, regardless of clinical status or CD4 cell count. By July
2017, 122 countries already have adopted this recommendation by mid-2017, which
covers more than 90% of all PLHIV globally.
Consolidated guidelines
on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection
The 2016 guidelines include new alternative ARV options with
better tolerability, higher efficacy, and lower rates of treatment
discontinuation when compared with medicines being used currently: dolutegravir
and low-dose efavirenz for first-line therapy, and raltegravir and
darunavir/ritonavir for second-line therapy.
Transition to these new ARV options has already started in more
than 20 countries and is expected to improve the durability of the treatment
and the quality of care of people living with HIV. Despite improvements,
limited options remain for infants and young children. For this reason, WHO and
partners are coordinating efforts to enable a faster and more effective
development and introduction of age-appropriate pediatric formulations of
antiretrovirals.
In addition, 1 in 3 people living with HIV present to care with
advanced disease, at low CD4 counts and at high risk of serious illness and
death. To reduce this risk, WHO recommends that these patients receive a
“package of care” that includes testing for and prevention of the most common
serious infections that can cause death, such as tuberculosis and cryptococcal
meningitis, in addition to ART.
Based on WHO’s new recommendations to treat all people living with
HIV, the number of people eligible for ART has increased from 28 million to all
36.7 million people living with HIV.
In mid-2017, 20.9 million people living with HIV were receiving
ART globally. In 2016, a global ART coverage of 53% of adults and children
living with HIV was reached. However, more efforts are needed to scale up
treatment, particularly for children and adolescents. Only 43% of them were
receiving ARVs at the end of 2016 and WHO is supporting countries to accelerate
their efforts to timely diagnose and treat these vulnerable populations.
Expanding access to treatment is at the heart of a new set of
targets for 2020 which aim to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
WHO response
The Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly endorsed a new Global Health
Sector Strategy on HIV for 2016-2021. The strategy includes 5 strategic
directions that guide priority actions by countries and by WHO over the next
six years.
The strategic directions are:
·
Information for focused action (know your epidemic
and response).
·
Interventions for impact (covering the range of
services needed).
·
Delivering for equity (covering the populations in
need of services).
·
Financing for sustainability (covering the costs of
services).
·
Innovation for acceleration (looking towards the
future).
WHO is a cosponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS
(UNAIDS). Within UNAIDS, WHO leads activities on HIV treatment and care, HIV
and tuberculosis co-infection, and jointly coordinates with UNICEF the work on
the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Job Opportunity for Health Lab Assistant/Technician
Community Action Center – Nepal (CAC-Nepal), a non-governmental organization (NGO), is
seeking a qualified and experienced Nepali citizen to work as a Lab
Assistant/Technician for its HIV Prevention, care, support and
treatment services among FSWs, client of FSW and PLHIV in Bhaktapur district
supported by USAID-funded LINKAGES Nepal Project.
Minimum Requirements:
The applying candidate should possess following
criteria:
- Must completed Lab
Assistant/Technician
- Must be registered Health
Assistant in Nepal Health Professional Council
- Must have Good Communication
skills
- Should have knowledge on STI,
HIV and AIDS
- Must have an interest to work
with Female Sex Workers and their clients
- Experiences in related field
would be an asset
Salary and benefits are as per organization's
rules and regulations. Interested qualified candidates are requested to submit
their application along with current CV by 15th December 2017.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted for further evaluation. Please
note the opening is subjected to fund availability.
Please send your application with updated resume. Female
are highly encouraged to apply.
Community Action Center – Nepal
Chundevi, Bhaktapur
Job vacancy for HA and Staff nurse
Community Action Center –
Nepal (CAC-Nepal), a non-governmental organization (NGO), is seeking a
qualified and experienced Nepali citizen to work as a Health Assistant
(HA) for its HIV Prevention, care, support and treatment services
among FSWs, client of FSW and PLHIV in Bhaktapur district supported by
USAID-funded LINKAGES Nepal Project.
Minimum Requirements:
The applying candidate
should possess following criteria:
- Must completed PCL in General Science
- Must be registered Health Assistant in
Nepal Health Professional Council
- Must have Good Communication skills
- Must have an interest to work with Female
Sex Workers and their clients
- Experiences in related field would be
an asset
Community Action Center –
Nepal (CAC-Nepal), a non-governmental organization (NGO), is seeking a qualified
and experienced Nepali citizen to work as a Staff Nurse for
its HIV Prevention, care, support and treatment services among FSWs, client of
FSW and PLHIV in Bhaktapur district supported by USAID-funded LINKAGES Nepal
Project.
Minimum Requirements:
The applying candidate
should possess following criteria:
- Completed in PCL in Nursing
- Must be registered nurse in Nepal Nursing
Council
- Must have Good Communication skills
- Should have knowledge on STI, HIV and
AIDS
- Must have an interest to work with Female
Sex Workers and their clients
- Experiences in related field would be
an asset
Salary and benefits are as
per organization's rules and regulations. Interested qualified candidates are
requested to submit their application along with current CV by 15th
December 2017. Only short listed candidates will be contacted for
further evaluation. Please note the opening is subjected to fund availability.
Please send
your application with updated resume. Female are highly encouraged to apply.
Community Action Center –
Nepal
Chundevi, Bhaktapur
Email: kathmandu@cac-nepal.org.np / bhaktapur@cac-nepal.org.np
Original Source: JobsNepal.com
Original Source: JobsNepal.com
Job opportunity for BPH
MahilaAtmanirbharata Kendra (MANK) a Nepalese NGO is implementing "Nepal Earthquake
Recovery Program’’ - project in Sindhupalchok District in Partnership with
OXFAM.MANK works on WASH, Livelihood, Shelter, Gender and Protection. MANK
invites application from qualified and experienced Nepali citizens for the
following position:
JOB DETAILS
Public Health Promotion Officer
(PHP)-1
Organization: MahilaAtmanirbharata Kendra (MANK)
Category: Public Health Promotion Officer
Posted Date: 28 November 2017
Job Type: Full Time
Job Level: Mid
Salary: Salary and benefits for the above post are as per
organization rule.
Experience: Comprehensive knowledge and a minimum of 2 years of working
experience in Public Health sector.
Educational: Bachelor in Public Health
Apply Before: 04 December 2017
JOB SPECIFICATION
- Skill
in computer orientation (MS office package, including excel spread sheet
and emails).
- Fluent
in reading writing /listening in Nepalese, standard in English in those in
English.
- Assessment,
analytical and planning skills.
- Good
understanding of the health and hygiene risks of IDPs, poor rural and
urban communities and of appropriate ways of tackling them. Must be aware
of and sensitive to the particular needs of women in this context.
- Sensitivity
to cultural differences and the ability to work in a wide variety.
JOB DESCRIPTION
- In
collaboration with other members of the WASH team, conduct assessments and
baseline studies in order to identify WASH-related health risks and
priorities.
- Support
to collect, record and interpret qualitative and quantitative data
- Use
assessment data to design participatory PHP interventions appropriate for
the local context and culture.
- Provide
regular update reports (including data collects, minutes from meetings,
and key achievements for the week)
- Ensure
WASH committees and volunteers are able to supervise, manage and monitor
the WASH facilities and mobilize IDPs/affected communities in taking
action to improve high risk hygiene practices.
- Ensure
the Implementation of hygiene promotion interventions for specific target
groups e.g. school children, women and men groups.
- Facilitate
the implementation of the WASH program focusing on
promoting the communities resilience to future emergencies
- Provide
regular and reliable narrative reports
- To
monitor and report to the management the community level key issues and
security incidents thatimpacts tothe staff and program
- Coordination
with PHP assistant and other team members to ensure coherent and
consistent programming.
- Maximize
the value of integrated working with PHE, gender, EFSVL and logistics
teams
- Facilitate
communication and cohesive working between PHEs and PHPs
Interested Nepalese citizens meeting
the above criteria are requested to send application with updated CV, Photocopy
of testimonials and other required document and photo to mank.staffvacancy@gmail.com or
directly hand delivery to MANK head office Melamchi Municipality -11,
Sindhupalchok (MelamchiBazzar) by 04 December, 2017 .
Minimum 2 reference and his\her
contact details is necessary. Only short listed candidate will be called for
the further selection process (es).
MANK is an equal opportunity
provider; we encourage applying by the women, dalits and marginalized
people and People with disabilities.Only shortlisted candidates will be
contacted for the further process. Women and candidates from marginalized
castes and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply
Source: (http://www.jobsnepal.com)
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