The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean said that while the annual number of new HIV infections in many WHO regions has been decreasing in recent years, new HIV infections are on the rise in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement on the occasion of World AIDS Day, which falls on December 1, and this year marks the 30th anniversary of the World AIDS Day.
The Office also published a series of AIDS profiles that we have attached to the news.
The regional office said the estimated number of new infections rose by 28 percent from 29,000 in 2010 to 36,000 in 2017. This is the highest rate among all regions.
Despite the availability of life-saving antiretroviral therapy, the mortality rate among people living with HIV in the Region continues to increase. It is estimated that there are 350,000 people infected with the virus in the region, and only one-third are aware that they are infected with the virus, while only 18% of them receive life-saving treatment.
In order to stop this increase in new HIV infections, World AIDS Day 2018 focuses on advocating for more consistent action to prevent new infectious infections by screening, diagnosing HIV-positive people who are unaware of the infection and providing life-saving treatment to them Preserve their dignity and respect their human rights.
The theme of this year's campaign is "Stop New HIV Infections Now! Prevention-Testing-Treatment", and explains the continuing prevention, diagnosis and treatment services needed to stop the increase in new infections.
It aims to encourage national program managers, policy makers, civil society and the private sector to expand access to broader service packages for prevention, testing and treatment for all who need it, as well as to remove all barriers to access.