Statistics show that we need to pay more attention to women and girls in order to reduce new HIV infections. According to UNAIDS statistics, there are 16 million women living with HIV worldwide. In sub-Saharan African, women comprise 58% of adults living with HIV.
The young women living with HIV have not been spared either because there are five million young people living with HIV in the world. 76% of them are in sub-Saharan Africa. 64% of youth living with HIV are young women worldwide. But in sub-Saharan Africa, the number is higher as there are 71% of youth living with HIV are young women.
It is for this reason that ICWEA sees it fit to discuss about HIV prevention tools for women including young women. This comes at a time when we are celebrating the results of studies about a dapivirine vaginal ring that can safely and effectively help prevent HIV infection in women. Even though the results are promising there is still a lot to be done before the product can be put on the market.
On the talk show, ICWEA will also talk about the existing tools and advocate for the speeding up of drafting and implementation of guidelines especially for methods like PrEP an already existing HIV prevention method that research shows can prevent HIV infection by up to 99% for those who took the medicines consistently.
If research shows that PrEP can significantly reduce chances of HIV infection if taken correctly, why is not it being availed to people? Why is it that countries like Kenya and South Africa have started using PrEP but Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania have not yet? Let us discuss this and more on NBS TV at 9am to 10am on Thursday, March 24.
