2018 Annual Report

Abstract

In 2018, the HIV prevalence was 2.4% as against that of 2.1% in 2017 amongst pregnant women attending Antenatal Care (2018 HIV Sentinel Survey Report, May 2018). To reduce the incidence of HIV in the country, the Programme developed and began the implementation of an Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization plan and collaborated with other partners to address HIV-related stigma and human rights abuses. One Million, seven hundred and two thousand, five hundred and forty-three (1,702,543) out of a target of 2,635,050 persons were tested for HIV in 2018, representing 65% target coverage, the highest in the last five years. Approximately 20% were males, 29% were non-pregnant women, and the remaining 51% were pregnant women. Of those tested 72,291 were found positive, giving a testing yield of 4.2%, the lowest in the last five years.From a total of 1,184,574 expected pregnancies in 2018, 73% (867,263) were offered HIV testing and received their results. Thirteen thousand, five hundred and fifty (13,550) out of those tested were HIV positive (1.6%), and 11,236 (83% of positives) were provided ARVs to Prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT). Nine thousand, five hundred and forty-nine (9,549) of the 13,550 expected HIV Exposed Infants (HEI) received Early Infant Diagnosis (EID), giving a 70% nucleic acid testing coverage and 7% (682) of them were positive at six weeks.