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Corona pandemic hampers AIDS aid
© APA (AFP)
According to estimates by the United Nations HIV / AIDS Program (UNAIDS), the corona pandemic and its aftermath could account for nearly 300,000 additional HIV infections and up to 150,000 additional AIDS deaths by the end of 2022. This makes it clear that World AIDS Day, which is celebrated every year on December 1, is also dominated by the pandemic. The main reason for the additional problems is interruptions in medical care.
According to UNAIDS, 1.7 million people were infected with the HI virus last year. It is estimated that twelve million infected people have not had access to medicines. The UN organization called on countries where HIV positive people are still stigmatized and discriminated against to change their policies. But there is also a perspective, not least because of the crown crisis: if the world invests significantly more in health systems in relation to the pandemic and sets ambitious targets, AIDS may no longer be a threat to the world. public health in 2030, it is said. in a UNAIDS report. In Vienna, the Red Ribbon is placed in Parliament and City Hall as a sign of solidarity with patients infected with HIV and AIDS.
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) emphasized the importance of prevention, education and support offers for those affected on the occasion of World AIDS Day. He also referred to the hearing of experts in the National Council on Tuesday on the reasons for excluding blood donation: “My goal is to allow non-discriminatory blood donation,” the minister announced.
Instead of belonging to a general group, in the future the risk assessment will focus on individual behavior: “This is the essential factor for the quality of blood products.” Based on the blood commission’s recommendations and expert assessment, the Ministry of Health will present a revised questionnaire in the coming weeks. “To guarantee the highest quality of blood donations, we follow international standards when implementing them,” explains the Minister of Health. “What we can already say today is that current findings on the diagnostic time window must be taken into account, as well as new methods to prevent and treat HIV infections.”
This should also take into account the use of pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP or PEP) in the blood donation questionnaire. “In any case, sexual orientation should not be an exclusion criterion when donating blood”, concludes Anschober.
Regarding World AIDS Day, the increase in the HIV fund by 25% and the increase in the funding period for AIDS aid from one to two years are encouraging: “AIDS aid is considered an important pillar in preventing communicable disease relationships gain planning confidence so that you can focus even more on your important core tasks. ”
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