HIV/AIDS: trends in the Middle East and North Africa region

Abstract

The HIV epidemic in the MENA region is still at a controllable level, and this opportunity should not be missed.

Improving the Quality and Quantity of HIV Data in the Middle East and North Africa: Key Challenges and Ways Forward

“…Main affected populations in the MENA are people who inject drugs (PWID), men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSWs), and their sexual and injecting partners. 1,2,4 In such concentrated epidemics, the estimates of HIV prevalence relies on the prevalence of HIV in each key at-risk population and the size of low- and high-risk populations. In the MENA region, however, data on HIV prevalence among key populations is unavailable in several low- and high-income countries (eg, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Syria, and the UAE).…”

“…1-3 The socio-cultural, political, and logistical context of the region has created several barriers to addressing public health issues, effectively. 4 In particular, adopting appropriate approaches to tackle sexually transmitted infections – HIV in particular – often leads to heated and controversial debates. Although the HIV pandemic is witnessing a decline in the number of new infections in most regions of the world, the MENA is one of the regions the world with a rapidly increasing HIV epidemic.…”

“…Although the HIV pandemic is witnessing a decline in the number of new infections in most regions of the world, the MENA is one of the regions the world with a rapidly increasing HIV epidemic. 4 Unlike sub-Saharan Africa where new annual HIV infections have declined by 41% since 2000, HIV transmission rates in the MENA rose by 17% during the same period; the second greatest growth in the world. Similarly, while the number of AIDS-related death have declined by 34% in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000, they indicate a 234% increase in the MENA; the greatest growth globally (Figure 1).…”

HIV in men who have sex with men in Lebanon: clinical and psychosocial aspects

“…In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), men who have sex with men (MSM) constitute a hard-to-reach population, due to the social stigma and criminalisation of homosexuality in most countries 1. When compared with other MENA countries, Lebanon is one of the safest for sexual minority groups.…”

HIV/AIDS in the Middle East and North Africa: a positive future

“…The low prevalence of HIV has mostly been attributed to the rather conservative stance in religious and cultural practices. Nevertheless, a very defining characteristic of the MENA region is its rapid and steady growth in the young adults’ demographics,2 who are among the most vulnerable to HIV infection. Also, sociocultural values play a major role in the HIV control efforts in the region; sexual education largely remains a sensitive issue or taboo 3 4…”