Tanzania Surpasses UN’s Set Targets To Combat HIV -

By STAFF REPORTER Dodoma.

TANZANIA has successful succeeded to surpass the United Nations (UN)’s set 95-95-95 targets to fight against HIV by the year 2030, according to the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

The set UN’s global set targets, among others focuses to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of people who know their status are receiving treatments, as well as 95 percent of people on HIV treatment have a suppressed viral load by 2030.

In his remarks on behalf of President Samia Suluhu Hassan during the climax of the special dialogue on strengthening partnership between the government, the stakeholders and communities for the sustainable achievement towards negating the disease in the country, the premier unveiled that 96 percent of the people living with HIV knows over their infection status.

“Today, at least 96 percent of the HIV positive Tanzanians are aware over the status, whereby 98 percent are currently under lifesaving antiretroviral treatments, and 97 percent have managed to stop replication of the HIV/viruses in their blood cells,” the premier unveiled.

He stated that the sixth phase government was continuing working teeth and nail in cooperation with the key stakeholders and local communities to step up more intervention against the killer disease across the country in order to stand a better path to attain the much-needed target of having zero infections by 2030.

“We will work hard to roll out more financial investments towards supporting HIV interventions in the country, including capacitating the AIDS Trust Fund, as well as to help implementation of diverse programs against the disease from grassroots,” the premier added.

The helpful national dialogue was organized by the National Council of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, being part to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the vital Council in Tanzania.

Giving her brief remarks at the event, the Health Minister, Ummy Mwalimu expressed that the country was performing impressively in the war against the spread disease the disease, informing that more strategies were being initiated.

She similarly hailed Prime minister Kassim Majaliwa for his patriotic determination to push for the needed national efforts against the disease.

“Your honorable Prime Minister, since when we seriously embarked on the national campaign against HIV in 2015/16, you have always been there to inject us with the diverse supports, especially by accepting to by the Ambassador for sensitizing the men communities across the country to test for the disease, “ she appreciated.

She communicated that, by the year 2016, HIV positive population who knew over their infection status in the country was at 61 percent, but due to intensive interventions the percentage has increased to the tune of 97 percent.

“We’re very proud of you for the positive manner to which you have assisted us to have the HIV testing regulations improved as it now allow the 15 aged youth to legally test for the disease without seeking for their parents concern and permissions, the development assisted a lot,” she said.

Before, the country’s HIV testing regulations restricted the youth at 15 years of age to test for the disease without being permitted by their parents.

“The other milestone that we manage to achieve under your shadow was enactment of the law to allow self testing among the citizens,” the Health Minister unveiled.

With the law, she said the health ministry in cooperation with the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government) have so far managed to distribute at least 1.6 million HIV self testing facilities across the country as of 2021, saying the helpful exercise was continuing.

” I would so like to deep appreciating the great roles being played by NACOPHA in the war against new cases of HIV infections in the country, as well as the victims on how best to live through adhering to the advisory habits, including making a properly use of the ARVs in order to protect themselves and the others within communities,” she added.

The Minister added that as per the LANCET, Journal, ARV proves to play meaningful role in viruses depression, by over 70 percent.

“For instance, the HIV viruses depression among the victim in Tanzania is currently at 97 percent due to the use of ARV,” she noted.

For her side, the chairperson of NACOPHA, Leticia Moris said the council was appreciating the concerted efforts being taken by the government in cooperation with the stakeholders and the communities in large to fight the disease, but also, in improving HIV heath services across the country.