Limited access and discrimination make it difficult for women to get ARV therapy for HIV
REPUBLIC.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The number of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to increase every year. Epidemiological data from the United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) records that 38.4 million people will be living with HIV in 2021.
Krittayawan Boonto, national director of UNAIDS in Indonesia, said the epidemic situation in groups of women and children showed alarming numbers. In Indonesia there are about 543,100 people living with HIV with an estimated 27,000 new cases of infection in 2021.
About 40% of new infections occur in women. While more than 51 percent occurred in the 15- to 24-year-old group and 12 percent of new infections in children.
Data show that nearly half of new cases of HIV infection in children come from mothers who do not receive ARV therapy. Considering that women and children living with HIV are key populations they should be a priority in ending the AIDS epidemic.
Unfortunately, they still face various challenges to do the treatment. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, the reason for discontinuing therapy is due to limited access to health care facilities, cost, stigma and discrimination from immediate environment, and side effects of medications. Even for children and adolescents it is not easy to access health services.
Limitations of special medicines for children and legal barriers such as age requirement policies are also the reasons for the difficulty in obtaining treatment. Not to mention knowledge of HIV and sexual and reproductive health issues, social stigma and lack of family support make it more difficult for them to access antiretroviral therapy.
To realize the AIDS epidemic in 2030, everyone must step up prevention efforts, everyone who tests positive must immediately undergo ARV treatment, everyone who is in treatment must be disciplined to achieve suppressed viral load.
“Multisectoral strengthening is important to get enough support for the HIV program. Countries must also prioritize HIV program funding. So, I’m sure we can all end AIDS by 2030,” he said in a written statement on Saturday (11/26/2022).
UNAIDS and global partners will also form a New Global Alliance to End AIDS in Children and charitable activities which will be inaugurated on 1 December 2022 at CGV Pacific Place, Jakarta.
