“The decline in mortality has stalled”

MADRID, 28 years (EUROPE PRESS)

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that gains made in recent years in the fight against HIV are “at risk” and “declines in new infections and deaths have stalled.”

Tedros said this this Thursday during a WHO press conference, where he also recalled on World AIDS Day the “fundamental” importance of human rights in the response to the virus.

“While nearly 30 million people are receiving antiretroviral treatment, millions more need it but are not receiving it. Almost 5 million still do not know they are living with HIV. Many of these gaps affect key populations that are marginalized, criminalized or discriminated against,” the director said. Detailed WHO General.

According to Tedros, “the most effective way to close these gaps and reach these populations is to recognize and respect their human rights.” “Together, on this World AIDS Day, let’s take the right path,” he stressed.

“MORE POLITICAL COMMITMENT AGAINST MPOX”

The Director-General of the World Health Organization recalled that the Emergency Committee met last Friday and noted that monkeypox continues to constitute an “emergency of international concern” and he asked countries to show a “stronger political commitment” to combating it. scale your answer.

“We need fully resourced preparedness and response plans. We need more contributions, including diagnostics and vaccines, and we need transparency and continued cooperation between affected countries,” Tedros said.

So far, more than 75 percent of all confirmed cases and deaths in Africa this year are reported to have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, “where the clade Ib outbreak has already spread to six provinces, including the capital Kinshasa. “.

Tedros subsequently indicated that clade Ib had also spread to four neighboring countries. “There are more than 2,000 cases in Burundi, mostly in urban areas. Uganda has 649 cases and a rapidly expanding epidemic. Rwanda has 37 confirmed cases and Kenya has 19 cases. cases of the disease have been reported in at least eight other countries in Africa, America and Europe,” he stressed.

On vaccinations, Tedros said 6 million doses have been promised so far, with 1.6 million ready for distribution by the end of the year. “Almost 56,000 people have been vaccinated in seven provinces of the DRC, and health officials are preparing to administer the second dose of the vaccine, starting in Kinshasa this week,” he added.