MONROVIA: The Chairperson of the National Aids Commission of Liberia (NAC), Madam Theodosia Slewon Kolee, has disclosed that an estimated 34,000 persons in Liberia are living with the Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), a virus that attacks the body’s immune system.
She said “if it is not treated, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency and acquired immune deficiency syndrome Aids.”
She said out of that number, 20,000 women are living with Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), 12,000 men are living with the virus while 2,000 children between the ages from zero to 14 years are living with the virus.
Speaking recently at the Ministry of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) regular Press Conference on Capitol Hill, in Monrovia, Madam Kolee indicated that currently, only 80 percent of women know their HIV status while 20 percent of men know their HIV status in Liberia.
According to her, in 2020, Liberia officially launched the second integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey which was conducted to determine the prevalence and distribution of HIV, syphilis, among members of the key and vulnerable populations in Liberia.
She said the report reveals that HIV prevalence had increase significantly from 2013 in almost all of the population groups, accounting for 37.9 percent from 19.8 percent HIV prevalence which is highest followed by sex workers 16.7 percent.
She noted that, from 9.8 percent uniform service personnel, 17.6 percent, Transport workers, from 9.6 percent to 28.5 percent people who inject drugs 14.4 percent from 4.9 percent Inmates 5.5 percent, Mobile traders, 3.8 percent and Miners 3.0 percent.
Madam Kolee lamented that this report presents a challenge that Liberia, as a country, must come together to deal with situation if the country wants to meet the global target by 2030. She also pointed out that Liberia must discourage stigma and discrimination and embrace diversity.
Speaking on the Commission’s next course of action, Madam Kolee said the National Aids Commission of Liberia, will have one national HIV strategic plan, one national HIV coordinating authority ,One Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and also the Commission will work with partners to scale up HIV testing services.
“The National Aids Commission of Liberia will also scale up Viral Load transport and testing and roll out Electronic Medical Record and ensure more male involvement in HIV Counseling testing as well as increase HIV awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination and Community engagement.” She said.
Madam Kolee also promised that the commission will increase Social Mobilization including the media involvement and ensure regular engagements with all line Ministries Agencies and Commissions on the need to mainstream HIV activities at work places.
Madam Kolee said that Liberia will continue to make steadfast progress in the fight to end Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which is a public health treatable by 2030 which is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus.
She also mentioned that the Commission has over 600 facilities offering HIV counseling and testing; 472 facilities offering prevention of mother-to-child transmission services; 250 facilities offering anti-retrovirus medication services to people living with HIV; and 17 facilities with virus load machines for testing and referral.
However, the NAC Chairperson maintained that within and across the 15 counties of Liberia, the Commission has virus load machines which are used to monitor people before they get on treatment, emphasizing that virus load coverage has increased from less than to 30, which is about 76%, meaning that 16 plus people who have been on treatment have variously suppressed HIV.
We have also increased the treatment of HIV at facilities in the country because we want to reduce HIV stigma and discrimination in the country.
What is happening now is that instead of going to the facilities to get your medication, you can go to a well-known pharmacy and get your medication because we have trained pharmacists there.
“We also introduced self-testing, which means once you have your test kit, you can do your own HIV test under the guidance of a trained counselor, but if your result becomes reactive, you will still have to do a confirmation test at the facility level before you can determine whether you are HIV positive, “she said.
She said, “This is a five-year plan that will guide the implementation of the National HIV Response and is in line with the UN Fast Track Strategy to reach the global goal of 95/95.”
As part of the National Strategy Plan, she said that President Weah and the Board of the NAC are committed to the global effort to get rid of HIV by 2030.
“We are working with partners and other countries to ensure that we meet the 9595 target, Therefore, we are calling on everyone because this sends out a wake-up call to all of us to get involved and end HIV in Liberia by 2030, she said”
