New Diagnosis & # 39; HIV in & # 39; alarmingly high levels in the European Region, despite the progress in the EU / EEA

Copenhagen and Stockholm, 28 & # 39; November 2018

With almost 160 000 people diagnosed with HIV, 2017 marked another year & # 39; & # 39 alarming numbers; New diagnosis & # 39; HIV in the WHO European Region. B & # 39; encouraging way, the general trend to increase not so much as before.

The eastern part of the region recorded more than 130 000 new diagnosis & # 39; HIV, the highest number ever. On the other hand, the European Union and the European Economic Area (EU / EEA) reported a decrease in rates & # 39; new diagnosis, mainly driven by reductions & # 39; 20% since 2015 among men who have sex with men.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe release the latest data on the HIV epidemic in the European Region, which marks the thirtieth anniversary of World AIDS Day.

"It's hard to talk about good news in & # 39; another year & # 39; number & # 39; people who are infected with HIV b & # 39; unacceptable way. While efforts to prevent new infections against -HIV showing signs of & # 39; progress gradually, m & # 39; aħniex desired to reach the 90-90-90 target by the 2020 deadline. the my call to governments, health ministers and to take bold decisions is: increase your response now ", says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, wHO Regional Director for Europe. "To do support people living with HIV and protect those who have a higher risk of & # 39; infection, we need fast action by designing interventions. This means wisely investing in prevention, testing and treatment, particularly in & # 39; key populations to end the AIDS epidemic as wiegħedna. "

Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: "Despite our efforts, HIV continues to damage the lives & # 39; a lot of people and causing not only much suffering and disease, but also discrimination and stigmatization. there has been much progress, but there is still much more we need to do. We need to unlock the full potential of our joint and sustained actions, as well as more collaboration with our partners across borders if we achieve the objective of & # 39; Sustainable Development to eliminate HIV – in Europe and worldwide. stigma of & # 39; infection and treatment of & # 39; HIV and continue our efforts to remove false beliefs about HIV and AIDS spread. it is important for the services of our public health to support easy and affordable access to testing and medical care for vulnerable groups in & # 39; risk & # 39; HIV infection ".

"It is an important signal for the reaction of & # 39; the HIV & # 39; the Europe we see a reduction in new diagnoses of & # 39; HIV in the EU / EEA. Especially since we see it it- decrease among men who have sex with men. This was the only population in the EU / EEA has experienced a steady increase in reported cases of & # 39; HIV over the last decade ", stresses lid- Director & # 39; ECDC Andrea Ammon. "There are several reasons to explain the decline across the EU / EEA. These include & # 39; successful programs to offer more testing & # 39; frequent HIV and aimed to promote & # 39; before diagnosis. this allows a fast connection with the care and the immediate start of & # 39; antiretroviral treatment for those tested positive and wider use & # 39; of & # 39; prevention based on evidence such as prophylaxis & # 39; pre-exposure. this reduction also shows that stronger focus on addressing and including & # 39; vulnerable populations in HIV responses, as outlined in the new guidelines for the testing of ECDC, makes a difference. "

key findings

• The increase in new diagnosis & # 39; HIV continued for the entire WHO European Region, but its pace was slower than in years & # 39; before. One reason for the persistent epidemic & # 39; HIV in Europe is late diagnosis remains & # 39; challenge throughout the region. Any other person diagnosed with HIV has already reached advanced stage in infection.
• B & # 39; more than 130 000 new HIV diagnoses in 2017, the eastern part of the Region observed rate & # 39; & # 39 increase; 68% in 2008-2017, compared to & # 39; 95% in 2007-2016. In the central part of the region, the increase was & # 39; 121% compared to & # 39; 142% respectively.
• Of & # 39; & # 39 new diagnosis; HIV in the eastern part of the Region, 59% are reported by heterosexual transmission. The data should be considered carefully because they depend on the way & # 39; transmission reported by individuals.
• Men suffering with & # 39; disproportionate way by HIV across the entire region: 70% of the new HIV diagnoses are in men.
• In 2017, more than 25,000 people were diagnosed with HIV in & # 39; 30 of the 31 country & # 39; EU / EEA. This means a reduction in the rate of & # 39; 6.9 per 100 000 population in 2008, to 6.2 per 100 000 in 2017.
• The overall reduction in the EU / EEA resulted primarily from a reduction of & # 39; 20% in new diagnoses among men who have sex with men between 2015 and 2017, remaining & # 39; the dominant mode of & # 39; HIV transmission (38% in 2017) in & # 39; this part of Europe. There was also a reduction in the diagnosis attributed to heterosexual transmission involving people from countries & # 39; & # 39 generalized epidemics, HIV.
• Despite this progress can & # 39; measure in reducing the number of & # 39; new HIV diagnoses, the overall rates continue to rise in & # 39; about one third of the EU / EEA countries.
• The number of & # 39; AIDS cases continued to decline throughout the region as a whole. In the eastern part, the situation began to stabilize, and the number of & # 39; AIDS cases between 2012 and 2017 decreased by & # 39; 7%. In the EU / EEA, 9 out of 10 (89%) of AIDS diagnosis in 2017 occurred within 90 days only from the diagnosis of HIV, indicating that the majority of AIDS cases in the EU / EEA could have been avoided by & # 39; early diagnosis.

Because it is better to know: improving HIV testing

Achieving and testing & # 39; & # 39 than in; risk & # 39; HIV infection remains a challenge public health across Europe. To be diagnosed with HIV early, interrupting the existing transmission chains and prevent further infections, Europe must work more closely with & # 39; vulnerable populations.

The new guidance ECDC on integrated HIV testing of viral hepatitis provide countries with the latest scientific evidence to help develop, implement, improve, monitor and evaluate guidelines and national or local programs -ittestjar both HIV as well as viral hepatitis. Such programs should contribute with & # 39; significantly to the elimination of viral hepatitis and HIV as a threat to public health by 2030 as set by the Millennium Development Goals & # 39; Sustainable Development (SDG).

The revamping of & # 39; political engagement: the game changers

The momentum to foster political commitment to end the AIDS 2030 has never been so strong in the European Region.

The ministerial dialogue on HIV policy organized by the WHO in & # 39; cooperation with the Government of the Netherlands and the United Nations Joint Program on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) f & # 39; & # 39 in Amsterdam, July 2018 registered the highest ministerial attendance ever recorded in & # 39; such a meeting, with 11 ministers or deputy ministers of health to attend. The participants expressed the firm commitment of governments to step up efforts to implement the Plan & # 39; Action for the Health Sector Response to HIV in the WHO European Region and meet the of goals & # 39; 90-90-90. B & # 39; & # 39 outcome; this, specific roadmaps for developing countries to strengthen a common agenda among key policy makers, partners, funders and implementers.

Last other recent stage towards the end of AIDS is the United Nations Common Position on the End HIV, TB and Viral Hepatitis by & # 39; Intersectoral Collaboration launched at it- 73 Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on 27 & # 39; September 2018. For the first time, forces to end the epidemics of the European Region of the diseases most diseases. The Common Position, coordinated by WHO, is an unprecedented step by the United Nations to step up efforts in 2030, as requested by SDG 3.