Africa-Press – Mozambique. Mozambique’s First Lady, Isaura Nyusi, revealed on Wednesday that the number of people dying annually from HIV/AIDS in Mozambique fell by 41.5 per cent between 2010 and 2020.
Speaking in Macia, in the southern province of Gaza, at an event commemorating World AIDS Day, she explained that the number of deaths had fallen from 65,000 in 2010 to 38,000 in 2020. In addition, the number of new infections during the same period had fallen by 34.6 per cent, from 150,000 to 98,000.
The First Lady said that the number of people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, stands at 2.1 million of whom 130,000 are children under the age of 15. She pointed out that despite the improvements in reducing mortality, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to be one of the biggest public health challenges in Mozambique, with 98,000 new annual infections of whom 28,000 are adolescent girls and women.
Isaura Nyusi said that “in the light of this, we want to express our total solidarity with all children, adolescents, young women, and adults living with HIV, as well as our willingness to continue to give all the support necessary to mitigate the negative impact of this epidemic”.
She urged society to fight inequalities in order to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030. She argued that prevention continues to be the best way for the country to be free of HIV/AIDS, stressing “we must bet on prevention, so that our children, adolescents and young people can have the opportunity to contribute with their knowledge to the development of Mozambique”.
In particular, she called for everyone to continue working towards the elimination of mother-to-child transmission and to ensure that children exposed to HIV are diagnosed and started on antiretroviral treatment as early as possible.
For her part, the deputy chief of mission at the United States Embassy, Abigail Dressel, pointed out that “Mozambique has continuously made progress towards the UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 goal: that 95 per cent of the people living with HIV know their HIV status; that 95 per cent of those people are on treatment for HIV; and that 95 per cent of them are virally suppressed and no longer spreading HIV”.
She noted that “while we should celebrate the advances in health care over the last 20 years, there is still much work to be done. For example, today, more than 1.6 million Mozambicans are receiving antiretroviral medication, and everyone who tests positive is able to immediately begin treatment. Nevertheless, there are still almost 40 per cent of children living with HIV who are not receiving that life-saving treatment. And more than 13 per cent of HIV-positive mothers transmit the disease during childbirth”.
Therefore, “we must continue our hard work in assuring access to treatment for every Mozambican, regardless of their family’s income, their gender, or the area in which they live. This is especially true for children”.
The diplomat praised the country’s healthcare, stressing “I’ve personally witnessed the commitment of the Mozambican government, health professionals, and community health workers, in providing family and client-centred care, which makes a difference in the lives of all Mozambicans, but especially children. Despite the ongoing challenges, we have seen improvements in the quality of life for children living with HIV. More of them are receiving testing and effective treatment and better family support services. These proven interventions need to continue to be scaled up”.
