BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services National HIV and STI program on AIDS monitoring reported that HIV cases in Solomon Islands is increasing.
This is according to the MHMS National HIV and STI program on AIDS monitoring report.
“Solomon Islands has now had cumulative cases,” the report said.
The report said this increased cases of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Human-Immunodeficiency Virus 30 plus cases have been recorded.
Out of these recorded cases 15 deaths have occurred, three lost to follow-up and 12 currently alive and on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
This means that Solomon Islands has now recorded a total of 15 AIDS related deaths to date, dating way back from 1994 when the first case was discovered.
The report adds the recorded cases have also directed the ministry to expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) to 100% coverage in 2017 and has resulted with a declining incidence of HIV infection to zero on the same year.
This is a good indicator that shows country is on track and living up to the commitment to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
It is a target included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015.
Former Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Health and Medical Services Dr Tenneth Dalipanda in addressing the report says Solomon Islands welcomes the new Declaration, which endorses the target of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
Dalipanda expressed this Political Declaration will enable Solomon Islands as a country to intensify and accelerate her National HIV response, to safeguard that the national response is fully integrated into the broader Agenda for Sustainable Development, and ultimately to end the AIDS epidemic.
This report was launched last year and it had presented the achievements of the country in the effort to meet its commitments as per the 2016 United Nation (UN) declaration.
