Health24 reported that Aids has become the leading cause of death among African teens.
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More than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS since the virus was first identified over 30 years ago. According to the CDC, Blacks and Latinos continue to experience the most severe burden of HIV in America, accounting for 44 and 21 percent of new cases of infection respectively.
Minister Haufiku commended the new World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations on providing treatment to anyone who tests HIV positive regardless of their CD4 count and using treatment as prevention to vulnerable populations as a positive development in ending HIV infections.
About 75,000 Canadians were living with HIV at the end of 2014 and according to national statistics about 9% of those were Aboriginal people. “Today, a person diagnosed with HIV at the age of 20, if starts promptly on ART, is expected to live a normal life span, with a highly preserved quality of life”, said Dr Surya Rao speaking on the occasion.
Dr. Rachel Levine, the state’s physician general, made that promise to an audience of advocates and people affected by HIV and AIDS on Tuesday while commemorating World AIDS Day.
De Marco and other advocates further cited a need for housing programs for homeless people being treated for HIV or AIDS, saying homelessness disrupts their medical care and also makes them vulnerable to being sexually exploited and spreading HIV.
He said interventions such as prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission of HIV should fully be implemented to ensure that no child born to an HIV positive mother gets infected.
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In Canada, activists and health workers know that early detection and treatment lead to better outcomes. World AIDS Day is one of the eight official global public health campaigns marked by the WHO. The Health Department does free HIV testing Monday through Thursday.
