2017 marked another year of alarming numbers in terms of new diagnoses of HIV in the WHO European Region.
Rates of HIV diagnoses have increased by over 50% in Malta, alongside countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, the report shows.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) wishes that, by 2030, HIV would be eliminated. That stigma of HIV infection and treatment must be discarded and public health services must continue treatment and support for those who suffer this life-long condition, the WHO said. “There should be easy and affordable access to testing and medical care.”
The World Health Organisation alongside the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published the ‘HIV/AIDS surveillance in Europe 2017 data’. In 2017, 25,353 people were diagnosed with HIV in 30 of the 31 countries of the EU/ EEA area.
HIV continues to increase among men who have sex with men (MSM), accounting for 38% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2017. Although the report notes the decline in MSM cases, there is a substantial increase reported in Malta in recent years. In 2008, 28 were reported with HIV, whilst in 2017, 45 were diagnosed with HIV.
The statistics show that the number of men who were diagnosed with HIV is higher than women; in 2017 35 men were reportedly diagnosed, out of which 23 men were diagnosed through sex between men. When compared to 2016, the number had declined from 51. HIV diagnoses in people infected through heterosexual contact stands at 17.
The report also goes into further detail, in terms of the age of the people who were diagnosed with HIV in 2017. The youngest person to be diagnosed with HIV is a female who falls between the age group 20-25 years. The age group ranging 25-29 years included one female and three males. The number increases in males within the age group 30-39; where 13 men had a positive HIV diagnoses, as well as five females. In the 40-49 age group, two females and nine males were diagnosed; whilst in the 50+ age group only one female and nine males were diagnosed. With regard to AIDs, Malta reported zero new cases in 2017, alongside countries like Iceland, Andorra and Monaco.
The statistics show that HIV continues to increase amongst males; and mainly men who are having sex with other men. In general, the report shows that there is a growing trend towards earlier diagnosis, which has increased significantly over the last decade in all people diagnosed. This indicates an improvement in case ascertainment and more effective testing policies. The report notes more frequent testing and linkage to care, the use of formal and informal PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) may also have played a role in the decline of HIV diagnoses in other countries.
“Therefore this is the reason why Malta needs to implement and promote frequent testing and care to decrease the rise of HIV.”