Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection that attacks the immune system and can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) since the discovery of HIV in the 1980s has become a global epidemic with significant public health concerns.
HIV affects people of all ages, genders, and sexual orientations and is prevalent in many parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 38.4 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2021. Most of these individuals live in low- and middle-income countries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with HIV who take HIV medicine -antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load (or stay virally suppressed) will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners, having a significant impact on the HIV epidemic.
UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) defined the 95-95-95 target to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. It refers to three specific targets to be achieved by that year:
The idea behind the 95-95-95 target is that by achieving these three goals, it will be possible to effectively control the spread of HIV and ultimately end the epidemic. It is a challenging goal, but significant progress has been made recently, and many countries are working towards achieving these targets.
UNAIDS estimates show a global improvement toward the 95-95-95 Goal from 69-50-40 in 2015 to 85-75-68 in 2021.
According to the UNAIDS 2021 Global AIDS Update, several countries have significantly progressed toward the 95-95-95 Goal. Some countries that have made the most progress include South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Lesotho, Rwanda, Rwanda, and Malawi. Those countries have made significant progress in scaling up their HIV testing and treatment programs, ensuring that all people diagnosed with HIV receive sustained ART.
It is important to note that many other countries have also made progress toward the 95-95-95 Goal. This collective effort requires the collaboration and support of governments, civil society, and international partners.
Data is critical in achieving the 959595 UNAIDS goal by informing policies and interventions, monitoring progress, and ensuring accountability.
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