More HIV infected in Albania

TIRANA, Dec. 1 – United Nations Agencies in Albania supported the Albanian government and civil society in their effort to halt the spread of the HIV epidemic.
According to data released by the Albanian Institute of Public Health, 55 new HIV infections have been diagnosed in Albania during January – November 2009, with 10 diagnosed in November alone. In total, 359 people in Albania have been diagnosed with HIV, 67 of whom have died.
The Albanian Institute of Public Health reports that 30 percent of the new cases are women. This is a higher proportion of women infected than during previous years. The report also highlights that 21 Albanian children live with HIV. 16 of these children were born to infected mothers and received the virus from them.
The main route of transmission of the infection is through sex between men and women. Young people are more likely to engage in unprotected sex, which is considered a high-risk behavior. Only 5 percent of 15-20 year-olds in Albania use condoms. This, together with limited education on HIV/AIDS in schools and massive internal and external migration, makes young people especially vulnerable to HIV.
International and domestic authorities raised awareness and drew attention to the need for prevention of HIV/AIDS and the need for ensuring care for those infected.
Access to information about the prevention of HIV, and treatment, care and support for those infected is a human right. This requires government to counter any form of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. It means eliminating violence against women and girls. It means ensuring better communication and access to HIV related services.
United Nations Agencies are supporting the Government of Albania to keep Albania a low prevalence country by: mobilizing resources and strengthening the capacity of relevant institutions; providing technical support to institutions in developing and implementing relevant policies, including the establishment of testing services and a monitoring and evaluation system that would help adjust interventions so that they respond to the needs of people and the context of Albania; provision of opportunities for people with HIV/AIDS to access safe and friendly services; ensuring people living with HIV/AIDS are consulted and participate in the formulation of policies that affect and will guarantee their rights, and; developing models that effectively reach people that are most at risk of contracting HIV.
Data from the AIDS Epidemic Update also show that at an estimated 33.4 million people are living with HIV world-wide – more than ever before because of population growth and because victims of HIV/AIDS can live longer due to the beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapy.