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 Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection rates, and
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related deaths have been
on a steady decline over the past decade, the region accounted for
22% of AIDS-related deaths in 2020.
Around 200,000 people in West & Central Africa became newly infected
with HIV last year out of a global total of 1.5 million, the United
Nations AIDS agency's (UNAIDS) data shows.
New infections in the region were growing fast among vulnerable
groups that include young girls and women, gay men, sex workers,
drug users and prisoners, who don't always have ready access to
preventive measures and treatment.
Winnie Byanyima said the jury was still out on the extent of the
impact of the coronavirus pandemic on HIV, but the agency is seeing
examples of disruptions.
"We are quite worried that when all the data comes in for this year
(2021), that we might see a spike in new infections, and over a few
years we might see more deaths," Byanyima told Reuters on the
sidelines of a health summit late on Tuesday.
"We are seeing across countries, a decrease in people receiving
prevention, a decrease in people testing, and increasing numbers
people falling out of treatments. These are not good signs, but we
don't yet know what the impact will be on new infections and
deaths," she said.
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 Health systems in the region
have been stretched by the outbreak, forcing
governments to divert scarce resources to tackle
the pandemic, while measures to stop the spread,
such as lockdowns, curbed access to HIV
prevention and treatment. UNAIDS
warned in July last year that the global fight against AIDS had been
faltering even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the pandemic was
threatening to put hard-won progress against HIV back by 10 years or
more.
Byanyima urged other leaders to emulate Senegal's President Macky
Sall who increased the health ministry's funding to fight HIV.
Sall directed Senegal's health minister during his closing speech to
commit an extra 2 billion CFA francs ($3.5 million) to the
ministry's 2021/2022 budget to the fight against HIV.
($1 = 570.5200 CFA francs)
(This story refiles to add Winnie Byanyima's first name in paragraph
5)
(Editing by Michael Perry)
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