On World AIDS Day 2024, the WHO Southeast Asia Regional Director, Saima Wazed, emphasized the need for a rights-based approach to healthcare in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Under the theme “Take the Rights Path,” the WHO urged global leaders to address inequalities hindering progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal of ending AIDS by 2030.
Key points from the statement include:
- Access to Care Without Stigma: Ensuring that people living with HIV receive necessary healthcare without discrimination.
- Focus on Marginalized Groups: Addressing the challenges faced by men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender individuals, and people who inject drugs, who experience higher HIV rates.
- Children and Adolescents: Nearly 80,000 children and adolescents in the region live with HIV, primarily due to mother-to-child transmission. The ‘triple elimination’ initiative has succeeded in countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
- Youth Education Gaps: Only 25% of young people in the region understand HIV transmission, with half of new infections occurring in individuals aged 15-24.
The ’95-95-95′ goals (diagnose, treat, and suppress the virus in 95% of cases) remain central to the WHO’s strategy, alongside advancements like PrEP, PEP, and long-acting treatments. Wazed called for unified global efforts to eliminate barriers to care and uphold the rights of those affected by HIV/AIDS.
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