Cuba Exhibits Lowest HIV/AIDS Prevalence of the Region (+Graphics)

Cuba today exhibits the lowest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, an official from the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) said.

Havana, Cuba.- The island maintains control in mother-to-child transmission, in children under 14, in heterosexual men and women, as well as in early detection and rigorous monitoring of cases diagnosed with the disease, Bárbara Venegas, an official from the Department of STIs/AIDS and Hepatitis of the Epidemiology Department said.

According to the specialist, of the total of 26,952 people living with HIV in the country, 80 % are male and 82% are between 20 and 54 years of age, while 87 % were diagnosed at an early stage of the disease, which allowed them to offer timely treatment.

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According to Prensa Latina, Venegas highlighted men who have sex with men (5.6%) and transgender women (19.7%). are the most affected segments.

She noted that currently cases can be diagnosed anywhere in the country, which allows optimization of resources and faster and more effective medical care.

And although this year the number of cases decreased considerably, compared to 2018, there was an increase in the provinces of Cienfuegos, Las Tunas and Guantánamo.

With respect to the goal 90-90-90 set by Cuba for 2020 (that 90 percent of patients know their serological status, the same figure has access to treatment and eliminate almost 100 percent of transmission, with a minimum viral load) said that it has already reached 87-86-73.8, respectively.

In 2015 Cuba was declared the first country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and congenital syphilis and the sustained work in controlling the disease further demonstrates that it is possible to have future generations free of HIV. Achieving control of the epidemic is one of WHO's goals. (RHC)