GENEVA, 22 May 2019—The West Africa Commission on Drugs, UNAIDS and the Global Commission on Drug Policy today presented the Model Drug Law for West Africa to ministers of health of the Economic Community of West African States.

Drug laws in western Africa are not having the intended effect. Neither drug use nor drug trafficking have been effectively reduced. Drug trafficking in western Africa has reached such an extent that the drug trade threatens stability in the region. Data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime from 2014 show that the use of cannabis in western Africa is much higher than globally―12.4% of people in the region had used cannabis in 2014, whereas only 3.9% of the global population had done so―and the problematic use of prescription and synthetic drugs is increasing. The rise in prison populations owing to pre-trial detention and drug-related offences has led to serious prison overcrowding in most countries.

“People who use drugs need help and care, not punishment. Stigmatizing them and locking them up in ever-increasing numbers only worsens health issues and puts enormous pressure on the already over-stretched criminal justice systems,” said Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Chair of the West Africa Commission on Drugs. “It took our region years to adopt evidence-based policies regarding the response to HIV, and we are now enjoying life-saving successes every year. Our view is that drug policy needs the same pragmatic, health-based and people-centred approach as the HIV response.”

The model drug law provides concrete templates that countries can adapt to reform their drug laws—legal provisions and how they relate to international legal obligations—as well as useful commentary that explains different options and reasons for choosing the proposed legal solution. The model drug law offers a measured way for decriminalizing drug use and possession for personal use by introducing thresholds, thereby allowing people who use drugs to access health services and seek support. The model drug law acknowledges that barriers must also be removed so that the millions of people in need of health services, including people living with cancer or with HIV, can access the treatment and care they need.

“Countries need to take a human rights approach to HIV and drug use and to make sure that the health and well-being of people come first,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i., while presenting the report to the ministers of health on the margins of the seventy-second session of the World Health Assembly, being held in Geneva, Switzerland. “We know that harm reduction works, we know that decriminalization works―countries cannot continue to disregard the evidence and urgently need to take action.”

The widespread stigma and discrimination, violence and poor health faced by people who inject drugs are compounded by high rates of HIV. While the incidence of HIV infection globally declined by 25% between 2010 and 2017, new HIV infections among people who inject drugs continue to rise. Of the 10.6 million people who injected drugs worldwide in 2016, more than half were living with hepatitis C, and one in eight were living with HIV.

International experience has shown that it is possible to muster the political will to make these wide-ranging changes to drug laws in order to address the spread of infectious diseases and their burden on development. Ruth Dreifuss, former President of Switzerland and Chair of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, said, “This is a defining moment where governments can turn the tide and control health epidemics by providing the right sets of prevention, treatment and harm reduction tools, or fail to do so if they maintain the prohibitionist status quo.” 

Global Commission on Drug Policy  

The purpose of The Global Commission on Drug Policy is to bring to the international level an informed, science-based discussion about humane and effective ways to reduce the harm caused by drugs and drug control policies to people and societies.

West Africa Commission on Drugs

Convened by Kofi Annan, the West Africa Commission (WACD) on Drugs comprises a group of distinguished West Africans from the worlds of politics, civil society, health, security and the judiciary. The Commission, chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, is an independent body and can therefore speak with impartiality and directness.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 21 May 2019—UNAIDS and partners have launched a new initiative to leverage the potential of innovations to improve the health of all. The Health Innovation Exchange will link innovators to investors and innovations to implementers. Launched on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, the initiative aims to support global efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The Health Innovation Exchange is about connecting solutions to the challenges that health systems are facing,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i. “It’s about working in the partnership spirit of Sustainable Development Goal 17 and making innovations and investments work for everyone.”

To mark the launch the Health Innovation Exchange, a three-day event held between 21 and 23 May at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, will showcase 24 innovations for HIV, tuberculosis and health systems. The innovations include rapid disease screening technologies, games and quizzes for education on sexual health and sustainable solutions for the provision of and support for primary health care.

“We urgently need to accelerate the pace of diffusion of technological innovations to improve human health around the world,” said David Wallerstein, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief exploration Officer of the internet-based technology and cultural enterprise Tencent. “Important breakthroughs in new technologies are occurring at a rapid pace. The Health Innovation Exchange will play a critical role in bridging the most innovative technologies and entrepreneurs with the greatest needs around the world.”

The event will provide an opportunity to link developers and innovators with implementors and investors interested in health. Political leaders, health experts, nongovernmental partners and private sector representatives will have the opportunity to discuss the key benefits of the ideas and products with the innovators. 

To respond to demands from countries, over the coming months UNAIDS will facilitate country-level innovation exchanges in key countries. Those exchanges will identify specific health-related challenges and areas in which innovation and technology could transform access to health care.

All the innovations can be seen on the Health Innovation Exchange online portal.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

New global survey aims to fill the data gap on the mental well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people to create better conditions and improve health

GENEVA, 14 May 2019—UNAIDS and the LGBT Foundation have launched an online survey to evaluate happiness, sex and quality of life for LGBTI people. The survey, the first of its kind, is part of a campaign to gain more information and insight into the challenges faced by LGBTI people. The data gathered will help to voice the concerns and advocate for improving the conditions and treatment of LGBTI people, including ensuring access to inclusive health and social services.

“Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people face stigma and discrimination daily in education, work, health and social settings. We want to understand how this affects wellness, including mental well-being, and also their responses and resiliencies,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i. “By examining in depth how economic, socioecological, homophobic and other variables impact the lives of LGBTI people, we will be able to advocate more strongly for meaningful change to improve their lives.”

LGBTI people have to contend with stigma and discrimination and are often faced with a lack of economic opportunities and a lack of access to health and social care. They are also at much higher risk of HIV infection. Estimates show that the risk of acquiring HIV is 27 times higher among gay men and other men who have sex with men and 13 times higher among transgender people, yet studies show that many gay men and other men who have sex with men and transgender people avoid seeking health services for fear of stigma and discrimination.

Although there are studies that evaluate the well-being of LGBTI people through measuring levels of violence, legal status and health―often HIV risk and status―few look at the mental well-being of LGBTI people, which is essential to ensuring their overall health and access to economic opportunities.

Data are also lacking on LGBTI people in Africa, Asia and Latin America, which the survey hopes to address. Available in more than 17 languages, the survey has been distributed through social media to more than 25 million people around the world and will run until the end of July 2019.

“We want progress in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) health and well-being. We want it now and this survey will help in this direction. It is a great initiative, where LGBTI people can confidentially speak up and build the knowledge to empower, raise public awareness and advocate, with an ultimate goal of eliminating stigma and discrimination against LGBTI people. It will be extremely helpful to the community,” said Sean Howell, Chief Executive Officer of the LGBT Foundation.

The survey was developed in collaboration with Aix-Marseille University and the University of Minnesota and was designed in collaboration with representatives of the LGBTI community, including people living with HIV. To ensure the highest standards with respect to privacy and the protection of personal data, the survey complies with the General Data Protection Regulation.

To secure and safeguard anonymity, access is provided via a secured weblink, which establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. The research protocol for the survey has been approved by the Research Board of Ethics of Aix-Marseille University and by the Research Ethics Review Committee of the World Health Organization.

The survey is open for participation until 31 July 2019 and takes about 12 minutes to complete.

To participate in this groundbreaking survey, click on the following link: https://www.research.net/r/LGBTHappinessResearch.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 1 April 2019—UNAIDS presented a new Action Plan to its Board members during a special session of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), held on 28 March 2019. The Action Plan sets out a series of priority areas that UNAIDS will be working on to create a positive organizational culture and increase the awareness of managers and staff of their accountability, rights and duties.

“We are transforming a difficult moment into a moment of opportunity,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Our Action Plan is transformative and will help us to create the model inclusive work environment that all of us at UNAIDS are committed to. This in turn will help us to be more effective as we work towards ending the AIDS epidemic.”

He reiterated that staff were UNAIDS’ greatest asset and stressed that the Senior Management Team was committed to change, accountability and transparency. He also said that the plan was designed with staff at the centre and that staff had played an instrumental role in contributing to and shaping the Action Plan.

During the meeting, the Board heard from Laurie Newell, Chair of the working group to strengthen the PCB’s monitoring and evaluation role on zero tolerance against harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and abuse of power, at UNAIDS. Ms Newell explained that the working group will support UNAIDS in being a model organization in the United Nations system for zero tolerance for harassment and commitment to dignity and respect at work. The working group particularly appreciated the engagement of staff in the development of the Action Plan as a model for the United Nations system.

The Board members expressed their support for the Action Plan and urged UNAIDS to continue its implementation and its improvement. They expressed their wish to see the Action Plan become a pathfinder in the United Nations system to address harassment in the workplace. They also reiterated their support to the PCB working group and said that they looked forward to its recommendations at the PCB meeting in June.

The Board also heard from Yuri Ambrazevich, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva and Chair of the search committee for the selection of the next Executive Director of UNAIDS. He requested the support of the PCB in helping the search committee to ensure that the process remains fair and confidential for all candidates and solicited the Board’s support in bringing forward the broadest possible pool of highly qualified candidates. The Board confirmed its trust in the search committee and looked forward to the discussion of the proposed shortlist of candidates at the 44th meeting of the PCB, in June 2019.

UNAIDS Board members and representatives of United Nations Member States, international organizations, civil society and nongovernmental organizations attended the special session of the PCB, which was chaired by Li Mingzhu, Commissioner of the National Health Commission, China, with the United States of America serving as Vice-Chair and Belarus as Rapporteur.

The UNAIDS Executive Director’s report to the Board and the Board’s decisions can be found here.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Five countries met the target three years ahead of the 2020 deadline and 18 more are on track; however, most countries are lagging behind and risk missing the target completely. UNAIDS urges countries to step up action.   

GENEVA, 22 March 2019—Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day, on 24 March 2019, UNAIDS is urging countries to step up action to meet the 2020 target of reducing tuberculosis (TB) deaths among people living with HIV by 75%, as outlined in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS. World Health Organization estimates show that, globally, TB deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 42% since 2010, from 520 000 down to 300 000 in 2017.

The estimates show that, by 2017, five low- or middle-income countries achieved or exceeded the target of a 75% reduction in TB deaths among people living with HIV, three years ahead of schedule—India (84%), Eritrea (83%), Djibouti (78%), Malawi (78%) and Togo (75%). A further 18 countries reduced TB deaths among people living with HIV by more than 50% and are on track to achieve the target by the end of 2020, provided that scale-up of services is maintained. However, the estimates also show that most countries are not on track and that deaths are rising in some regions and countries.

“TB should be a disease of the past. It has been treatable and preventable for decades. Years of neglecting the rights of the world’s poor to basic health care, food and shelter have let TB take hold and allowed resistance to build,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “People living with HIV are especially at risk. There is still a chance for many countries to meet the target, but we have to act now―it’s time to end TB and AIDS.”

Around 40 countries showed a rise in the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV between 2010 and 2017. In eastern Europe and central Asia, the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV increased by 22% between 2010 and 2017, with increases being seen in all but three countries in the region. In Latin America, deaths rose by 7%. The lack of progress in some countries is a clear indication that further efforts are needed to address the main challenges, including the need for equity and ensuring that vulnerable groups have access to integrated HIV and TB services.

To accelerate progress in reducing TB deaths among people living with HIV and reach the 2020 target, UNAIDS is urging countries to fully integrate TB and HIV services and to use community-based approaches to find, diagnose and treat the missing cases. Countries need to screen all people living with HIV for TB and all people with TB need to be tested for HIV. The quality of TB and HIV diagnosis also needs to be improved. HIV and TB prevention efforts need scaling up, particularly for people at higher risk of infection. In addition, all people diagnosed with TB and HIV need immediate access to treatment and support to adhere to their treatment regimens.

“Although progress is mixed, we can see that the target can be met, and a large number of countries can get there if they act with urgency and use focused community-based approaches,” said Mr Sidibé. “I cannot stress enough how critical it is to integrate TB and HIV services so that people can be screened, tested, treated and offered prevention for both diseases, ideally under the same roof, by the same health worker and on the same day. This is an approach that we know saves lives.”

With less than two years to achieve the target, UNAIDS is urging all countries to step up action and partners to work together to ensure that all people affected by HIV and TB have access to effective prevention and treatment services.

TB is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4400 lives a day. TB also remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, causing one in three AIDS-related deaths. In 2017, 1.6 million people died from TB, including around 300 000 people living with HIV.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

VIENNA/GENEVA, 15 March 2019—A coalition of United Nations Member States, United Nations entities and leading human rights experts meeting at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, today launched a landmark set of international legal standards to transform and reshape global responses to the world drug problem.

The International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy introduce a comprehensive catalogue of human rights standards. Grounded in decades of evidence, they are a guide for governments to develop human rights compliant drug policies, covering the spectrum from cultivation to consumption. Harnessing the universal nature of human rights, the document covers a range of policy areas, from development to criminal justice to public health.  

The guidelines come at an important moment, when high-level government representatives are convening at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to shape a new global strategy on drugs. Under the mounting weight of evidence that shows the systemic failures of the dominant punitive paradigm, including widespread human rights violations, governments are facing growing calls to shift course.

“Drug control policies intersect with much of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the pledge by Member States to leave no one behind. Approaches that violate human rights and fail to curb the illicit drug trade are leaving a trail of human suffering,” said Mandeep Dhaliwal, Director of the United Nations Development Programme’s HIV, Health and Development Group. “For countries who are ready to place human dignity and sustainable development at the heart of their drug control policy, these guidelines offer valuable guidance to promote more effective and humane drug control policy.”

Seeking to promote the rule of law, the guidelines feature recommendations across the administration of justice—including discriminatory policing practices, arbitrary arrest and detention and decriminalization of drugs for personal use—and articulate the global state of human rights law in relation to drug policy, which includes ending the death penalty for drug-related offences.

At least 25 national governments—from Argentina to South Africa—have scrapped criminal penalties for the possession of drugs for personal non-medical use, either in law or in practice, setting an example for others to follow. The United Nations system has jointly called for decriminalization as an alternative to conviction and punishment in appropriate cases.

“Punishment and exclusion have been instrumental to the war on drugs,” said Judy Chang, Executive Director of the International Network of People who Use Drugs. “The time has come to privilege human dignity over social isolation and champion human rights, putting an end to the shameful legacy of mass incarceration.”

Beyond moving away from a punitive approach to drugs, the guidelines make clear that a human rights approach is critical in improving people’s enjoyment of the right to health, to live free from torture and to an adequate standard of living. In accordance with their right to health obligations, countries should ensure the availability and accessibility of harm reduction services, which should be adequately funded, appropriate for the needs of vulnerable groups and respectful of human dignity.

“Ninety-nine per cent of people who inject drugs do not have adequate access to harm reduction services and are left behind in the progress against HIV,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “More than 12% of people who inject drugs are living with HIV and over half have hepatitis C. The only way to advance progress is to put people at the centre, not drugs.”

The guidelines highlight the importance of protecting the rights of farming communities—especially women—to arable land. Consistent with international standards, they suggest that governments temporarily permit the cultivation of illicit drug crops when necessary to allow for smooth transitions to more sustainable livelihoods. Thailand’s success in supporting opium famers to transition to alternative livelihoods is one such example.

“Human rights should not just inform critiques of the response to drugs worldwide, they should also be the main drivers of its reform, underpinning checks and balances to break cycles of abuse,” said Julie Hannah, Director of the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy, University of Essex, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. “Fighting inequality and injustice is a more effective way of addressing the global drug problem than prisons and police,” she added.

The guidelines will support United Nations Member States, multilateral organizations and civil society to integrate the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into national and global policy-making.

UNDP

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in nearly 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

New report by UNAIDS highlights the urgent need to implement a human rights and evidence-informed approach to reach people who inject drugs with essential health services

GENEVA, 13 March 2019—A report released today by UNAIDS shows that despite a decline in new HIV infections globally, HIV incidence is not declining among people who inject drugs (1.4% worldwide in 2017). The report also shows that 99% of people who inject drugs live in countries that do not provide adequate harm reduction service coverage.

“UNAIDS is greatly concerned about the lack of progress for people who inject drugs, which is due to the failure of many countries to implement evidence-informed, human rights-based approaches to drug use,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “By putting people at the centre and ensuring that they have access to health and social services with dignity and without discrimination or criminalization, lives can be saved and new HIV infections drastically reduced.”

The new UNAIDS report, Health, rights and drugs: harm reduction, decriminalization and zero discrimination for people who use drugs, shows that of the 10.6 million people who inject drugs in 2016, more than half were living with hepatitis C and one in eight were living with HIV. It outlines that ensuring that comprehensive harm reduction services are available—including needle–syringe programmes, drug dependence treatment and HIV testing and treatment—will kick-start progress on stopping new HIV infections among people who use drugs.

However, few United Nations Member States have lived up to the 2016 agreement outlined in the outcome document of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem to establish effective public health measures to improve health outcomes for people who use drugs.

The report outlines that although decriminalization of drug use and possession for personal use increases the provision, access and uptake of health and harm reduction services, criminalization and severe punishments remain commonplace. An estimated one in five people in prison globally are incarcerated for drug-related offences, around 80% of whom are in prison for possession for personal use alone. In addition, the report lists 35 countries that retain the death penalty for drug-related offences.

UNAIDS is also advocating for the full engagement of civil society as an essential source of information and to provide mobilization, advocacy and community-led services, especially in places where repressive policies and practices are the norm. In addition, UNAIDS is calling for sufficient funding for human rights programmes and health services that include harm reduction and HIV services, community-led responses and social enablers and the removal of drug- related and HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

Health, rights and drugs highlights that despite the effectiveness of harm reduction, investments in harm reduction measures are falling far short of what is needed for an effective HIV response. In 31 low- and middle-income countries that reported data to UNAIDS, 71% of spending on HIV services for people who use drugs was financed by external donors.

While some countries have made progress by implementing evidence-informed approaches that are grounded in human rights, most are still lagging far behind. Ahead of the ministerial segment of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which starts on 14 March 2019 in Vienna, Austria, UNAIDS is urging governments to revisit and refocus their approaches to drug policy by putting people at the centre and linking human rights to public health.

UNAIDS has outlined a set of recommendations for countries to adopt which include:

• Fully implementing comprehensive harm reduction and HIV services, including needle–syringe programmes, opioid substitution therapy, overdose management with naloxone and safe consumption rooms.
• Ensuring that all people who use drugs have access to prevention, testing and life-saving treatment for HIV, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.
• Decriminalizing drug use and possession for personal use. Where drugs remain illegal, countries should adapt and reform laws to ensure that people who use drugs have access to justice, including legal services, and do not face punitive or coercive sanctions for personal use.
• Taking action to eliminate all forms of stigma and discrimination experienced by people who use drugs.
• Supporting the full engagement of civil society as a source of information and to provide community-led services, mobilization and advocacy, especially in places where repressive policies and practices are the norm.
• Investing in human rights programmes and health services, including a comprehensive package of harm reduction and HIV services, community-led responses and social enablers.

Full report: Health, rights and drugs: zero discrimination, harm reduction and decriminalization for people who use drugs.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Expanded data collection and analysis provides better understanding of HIV epidemic in Nigeria

ABUJA/GENEVA, 14 March 2019—Results released today by the Government of Nigeria indicate a national HIV prevalence in Nigeria of 1.4% among adults aged 15–49 years. Previous estimates had indicated a national HIV prevalence of 2.8%. UNAIDS and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS estimate that there are 1.9 million people living with HIV in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja, Nigeria, the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, welcomed the news that there are fewer people living with HIV in the country than previously estimated and launched the Revised National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2019–2021, which will guide the country’s future response to the epidemic. Nigeria has made good progress in scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services in recent years.

"For the first time, the end of AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is truly in sight for our country,” said H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria. “I urge all of us not to relent but to increase the momentum. Let us work collectively and push for the last mile.”

The data from the Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) are based a revised and enhanced methodology. The survey provides a clearer understanding of Nigeria’s HIV epidemic and shines a light on progress and the remaining gaps and challenges.

The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, welcomed the new estimates and said the improved understanding of the country’s HIV epidemic would allow Nigeria to better reach people living with HIV and people at higher risk of acquiring HIV.  

“I commend the Government of Nigeria and its partners for conducting this ambitious survey, which provides us with a much better understanding of the country’s HIV epidemic,” said Mr Sidibé. “While it is fantastic news that there are fewer people living with HIV in Nigeria than previously thought, we must not let down our guard. Let us use the results of this survey to better focus our delivery of HIV prevention, treatment and care services to the people in the greatest need and ensure that Nigeria gets on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.”

While Nigeria’s national HIV prevalence is 1.4% among adults aged 15–49 years, women aged 15–49 years are more than twice as likely to be living with HIV than men (1.9% versus 0.9%.) The difference in HIV prevalence between women and men is greatest among younger adults, with young women aged 20–24 years more than three times as likely to be living with HIV as young men in the same age group. Among children aged 0–14 years, HIV prevalence according to the new data is 0.2%. Significant efforts have been made in recent years to stop new HIV infections among children.

At the national level, viral suppression among people living with HIV aged 15–49 years stands at 42.3% (45.3% among women and 34.5% among men). When people living with HIV are virally suppressed they remain healthy and transmission of the virus is prevented.  

The improved understanding of the country’s HIV epidemic will allow for more efficient investments in the response to HIV and more effective planning for the provision of HIV prevention, care and treatment services, including a focus on key populations, such as female sex workers. It will permit the adoption of a population–location approach to deliver services to the people and areas where they are most needed.

The new data differentiate HIV prevalence by state, indicating an epidemic that is having a greater impact in certain areas of the country. The South-South zone of the country has the highest HIV prevalence, at 3.1% among adults aged 15–49 years. HIV prevalence is also high in the North Central zone (2.0%) and in the South East zone (1.9%). HIV prevalence is lower in the South West zone (1.1%), the North East zone (1.1%) and the North West zone (0.6%).  

“The Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAISS) findings provide Nigeria with an accurate national HIV prevalence measure of 1.4%. NAIIS also showed we are able to effectively provide antiretroviral treatment,” said Isaac F. Adewole, Nigeria’s Minister of Health. “Everyone infected with HIV needs to get treatment so they can achieve viral suppression, especially pregnant women. We must ensure pregnant women have access to antenatal services and are tested during every pregnancy. We know we can support HIV-positive mothers, hence ensuring the next generation is free from HIV.”

Nigeria has shown steady progress on increasing access to treatment for people living with HIV, with the adoption of a test and treat policy in 2016. This measure has further accelerated referrals to treatment facilities for people who test positive for the virus. From 2010 to 2017, the country almost tripled the number of people living with HIV having access to antiretroviral therapy, up from 360 000 people in 2010 to more than 1 million people in 2018. However, the new estimates released today indicate that more than half of people living with HIV still do not have suppressed viral loads.

The new data are more accurate as they are based on an expanded surveillance system and a revised and enhanced methodology. In recent years, there has been a significant expansion in the country’s response to HIV. The number of sites providing treatment has more than tripled, the number of sites providing services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV has increased eightfold and the number of HIV counselling and testing sites has increased fourfold. A total of 11.3 million adults were counselled and tested for HIV in 2016, four times as many as in 2012.  

“It is important that all people living with HIV get treatment and achieve viral suppression. To halt the epidemic, we need to act now,” said Sani Aliyu, Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS. “As a government working with our partners, we have what it takes to support people who are HIV-positive, to provide treatment, to protect their families and to help people live long and healthy lives.”

The NAIIS was led by the Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS. UNAIDS, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria provided support for the work on the survey, which was overseen by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implemented by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a scope that included all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. The survey reached around 220 000 people in about 100 000 households. Fieldwork was conducted between July and December 2018.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH)

Federal Ministry of Health is one of the Ministries in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is concerned with the formulation and implementation of policies related to health. The Ministry has several departments focusing on different aspects of health care. The Department of Public Health’s National HIV and STI Control Program (NASCP) participated in the conduct of NAIIS and guided its implementation. More information can be found at http://www.health.gov.ng/

National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS was established to coordinate the various activities of HIV/AIDS in the country. The Agency among several functions coordinate and sustain advocacy by all sectors and at all levels for HIV/AIDS/STDs Expanded Responses in Nigeria. The Agency in collaboration with the FMoH guided the implementation of NAIIS. More information can be found at https://naca.gov.ng/ for more information about NACA.

On Zero Discrimination Day, UNAIDS calls on countries to examine discriminatory provisions in their laws and policies and make positive changes to ensure equality, inclusion and protection

GENEVA, 1 March 2019—In 2018, a number of countries made landmark decisions to change discriminatory laws and bills. The Supreme Court of India struck down Section 377 of the Penal Code, which criminalized same-sex sexual relations, the Philippines lowered the age of consent for voluntary HIV testing without the need to obtain consent from a parent or guardian to 15 years and Malawi removed provisions from a draft bill that would have criminalized HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission.

On Zero Discrimination Day, UNAIDS recalls the equal dignity and worth of every person, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is calling for action to change discriminatory laws and practices, which are a significant barrier for access to health and other services.

“Human rights violations are happening all over the world because of discriminatory laws and practices,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Laws must protect, not cause harm. All countries must carefully examine their laws and policies in order to ensure equality and protection for all people, without exception.”

Raising awareness, mobilizing and taking action are essential. On Zero Discrimination Day, UNAIDS is proposing specific actions that individuals, civil society organizations, parliamentarians and donor organizations can take to change discriminatory laws. These range from being an ally to someone affected by a discriminatory law to joining a nongovernmental organization, tabling amendments to laws and calling for reviews of legislation.

Making a positive change is possible and there are many ways a law can be amended or abolished. These include:

• Reforming or removing laws through parliamentary processes and the votes of parliamentarians.
  • Raising awareness among parliamentarians is therefore essential, as was done in the revision of the HIV laws in the Philippines and bills in Malawi.
• In many countries, courts have the power to strike down laws that are discriminatory. This can be done if an individual or organization affected by the law takes legal action and wins the case for change.
  • The case of India’s Supreme Court, which removed Section 377 in 2018, was a striking example.
• In some countries, people or politicians can propose law reform through a petition and request a national vote or referendum.
  • This is a standard method of legislating in Switzerland.

UNAIDS has identified a range of laws that are discriminatory, impede access to health and social services, restrict freedom of movement and violate human rights.

In 2018:

• At least 20 countries imposed travel restrictions of some form against people living with HIV.
• Around 29 countries reported that they require the consent of a woman’s husband or partner to access sexual and reproductive health services.
• Fifty-nine countries reported mandatory HIV testing for marriage, work or residence permits or for certain groups of people in the law, regulations or policies.
• Seventeen countries criminalized transgender people.
• Forty-five countries had laws that impose the need for parental consent for adolescents and young people below 18 years to access HIV testing services.
• Thirty-three countries imposed the death penalty for drug offences in law.
• Same-sex sexual relations were criminalized in at least 67 countries and territories worldwide.

UNAIDS is actively working with United Nations partners, governments and civil society organizations to change those laws as part of the Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate all Forms of HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination. 

Zero Discrimination Day campaign 2019—act to change laws that discriminate.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 12 February 2019—United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Shannon Hader as the new Deputy Executive Director of Programme of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.

“Shannon is an exceptional leader in AIDS and TB—with extensive experience in improving systems for health,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. “From Washington DC to Zimbabwe she understands the epidemic and the response needed at the community, country and global levels—her vision and knowledge will be critical for UNAIDS and to ending AIDS by 2030.”

Dr Hader started her career at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and most recently served as the Director of the Division of Global HIV and TB, a key implementing agency of PEPFAR, with more than 2000 staff across 45 countries.

Prior to re-joining the CDC, she held the position of Vice President and Director for the Center for Health Systems and Solutions at the Futures Group (now Pallidum). She led the HIV response in the District of Columbia while serving as Senior Deputy Director, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration. And in 2017, she was a candidate for US Congress.

A public health physician, Dr Hader’s career has spanned the research, programme and policy spectrum. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases. Dr Hader has worked in the response to HIV in a number of duty stations throughout Africa since she first joined the CDC in 1999.

Dr Hader will assume her new role in March 2019.

“I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to Tim Martineau for serving UNAIDS as Acting Deputy Executive Director of Programme,” said Mr Sidibé.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.