TOGO: Poor ARV access amid HIV decline

Togo has almost halved its HIV prevalence rate over the past year, but antiretroviral (ARV) medication is still hard to come by for most people who need it, Reuters reported on Monday.

According to official figures from the small West African nation, rates declined from 6 percent in 2005 to 3.2 percent this year.

Despite this recent success, Health Minister Suzanne Aho expressed concern that just 5,400 of the 18,000 people in immediate need of ARV therapy were actually accessing the life-prolonging drugs.

UNAIDS estimated that 110,000 people were currently living with HI virus.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]