UNAIDS chief hails Rwanda’s HIV fight

Rwanda has proved to the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) that it can achieve zero HIV infection rate, if mechanisms in place are firmly maintained. Michel Sidibé, the executive director of UNAIDS said in an exclusive interview with Sunday Times last week. “Rwanda is one of the countries in Africa that are doing a great job to eliminate the transmission of HIV infection.” he said. “We are so happy with the progress made in achieving better health care. I have realised that the possibility of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/Aids in this country is going beyond 90 per cent”. Sidibé, who was in the country for a three-day visit to experience the progress made in the national response to HIV/Aids, stated that Rwanda’s clear leadership, vision and commitment has made it possible for UNAIDS programmes to be successful. For the last few years, numerous HIV/Aids awareness campaigns by the government and other stakeholders have recorded a considerable step towards the reduction of new HIV infections in the country. According to the health ministry, the campaigns have been effective to the extent that the rate of new infections has gone down compared to previous years. The rate of new infections was at 25,000 people every year five years ago, but it has drastically gone down to 15,000. However, the UNAIDS chief stated that Rwanda has been able to demonstrate that it can reach a universal access to HIV prevention and treatment. “Rwanda is now showing that we can go beyond 90 per cent of people who can access AIDS treatment. The country is showing that we can reduce HIV related deaths,” he added. Institutions like Imbuto Foundation and NGOs have partnered with the Rwandan government in the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic. For instance, Imbuto Foundation, the organisation founded by the First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, has embarked on a campaign to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission through its Family Package. The Family Package Programme centre has about 370 beneficiaries who are infected with HIV/Aids, including discordant couples. The programme includes prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and provision of health care, prenatal and obstetrical services, linkage to reproductive health programmes, nutritional support, psychosocial services and income-generating activities to HIV-positive mothers. “A few years back, nobody believed that we could reduce transmission and infection; today we are seeing a considerable decline in new infections, especially on the continent, and most of them are committed to end the epidemic,” noted Sidibé. According to a recent Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey, due to access to antiviral drugs, HIV prevalence in Rwanda has remained at around 3 per cent since 2005,