Experts focus on young people as more are at higher risk of HIV
In spite of the strides made in reducing the impact of HIV and AIDS relates deaths around the world, and deaths are on the decline in every age group, more adolescents at a higher risk.
To address the issue experts meeting at the 9th IAS Conference on HIV Science are focusing on young people.
According to new UNAIDS estimates young people continue to be at higher risk for HIV globally.
In a press release issued at the conference, leaders say they are dedicated to changing this reality.
They are looking at novel approaches to reach the next generation with HIV prevention and treatment services.
“We must work with urgency to do a better job of reaching young people with the HIV services they need. Only then will be able to change the course of the epidemic and truly end HIV,” said Linda-Gail Bekker, the President of the International AIDS Society (IAS) and International Scientific Chair of IAS 2017.
The press release indicates that several IAS 2017 studies focus on improving HIV treatment and prevention approaches for young people, including; a large study examining a successful community-based HIV counselling and testing programme among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa and its potential implications for PrEP roll out (TUAC0201); A study in six African countries examining the benefits of multi-month prescriptions of HIV treatment for adolescents with HIV (MOAD0105); An analysis of adolescent treatment services in 23 sub-Saharan African countries, with implications for standards of care (MOPDD0101); Evaluation of the cost effectiveness of providing PrEP to young men versus young women in South Africa to inform the country’s PrEP implementation efforts (TUAC0202).
The conference ends today.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi