On 29 November, to mark World AIDS Day 2016, WHO will launch new guidelines on HIV self-testing to encourage countries to promote self-testing and empower more people to test for HIV. WHO is also launching a new progress report "Prevent HIV: test and treat all – WHO action for country impact". The report shows that more than 18 million people living with HIV have access to HIV treatment, but many more lack HIV diagnosis and consequently are missing out on treatment.
The global HIV epidemic claimed fewer lives in 2015 than at any point in almost twenty years. Prevention programmes reduced the number of new HIV infections per year to 2.1 million in 2015, a 35% decline in incidence since 2000. The massive expansion of antiretroviral therapy has reduced the number of people dying of HIV related causes to approximately 1.1 million 2015 – 45% fewer than in 2005.
Having achieved the global target of halting and reversing the spread of HIV, world leaders have set the 2020 “Fast-Track” targets to accelerate the HIV response and to END AIDS BY 2030.
On World AIDS Day 2016, WHO will be promoting these new innovative HIV testing policies, urging countries and communities deploy high-impact prevention services, and further expand early and quality treatment for all, addressing geographical disparities and leaving no one behind.
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