UN WARNS COVID-19 COULD CAUSE 500,000 HIV DEATHS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) Executive Director Winnie Byanyima on Monday warned COVID-19 could cause HIV treatment disruption and lead to 500,000 deaths, teleSUR reported early on Tuesday, July 7, 2020.

UNAIDS said about 1.7 million people tested positive for HIV and 690,000 denied due to the virus last year. Worldwide, the number of HIV sufferers has been placed at 40 million. 

“We must keep the world focused on the HIV epidemic, and also be relevant in fighting a new pandemic that has devastated the world. We can do both,” Byanyima said.

COVID-19 severely harmed AIDS response, and UNAIDS forecast Sub Saharan Africa’s situation could worsen, given the antiretroviral supplies cut during the pandemic. In that region, sexual discrimination deprives young women of self-determination on sexual life and health, which increases their vulnerability facing the virus.