Panafrican News Agency

Liberia: Liberia’s HIV prevalence now 2.1 percent of population

Monrovia, Liberia (PANA) – Health authorities here have announced that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence is now about 2.1 percent of the nearly 4.2 million Liberian population.

The National AIDS Commission (NAC) said in a new report that the total HIV positive cases in the country have shot up from 33,000 to 43,000.

The commission said the figures represent the estimate of the virus in 2017, using the UNAIDS software known as ‘spectrum.’ Spectrum is a software that estimates different HIV indicators in a given country.

According to the NAC, the number of people living with HIV in Liberia is growing, with at least 2,900 new cases expected annually and 2,800 deaths from HIV-related illnesses.

The HIV/AIDS monitoring and treatment agency disclosed that of the estimated 43,000 persons infected with HIV, 24,000 are women, while 15,000 are men.

The NAC report also revealed that of the 43,000 infected persons, 39,000 are adults and 4,200 children. But fewer of the infected persons are having access to treatment, the NAC said, placing those on ART (antiretroviral therapy) at 18.7 percent.

According to the report, the number of pregnant in need of ARVs annually was put at 2,000 and of that number, only 1,382 or 69.1 percent receive ARVs.
-0- PANA PTK/AR 4Oct2017