Brazzaville/N’Djamena (Chad) 25 November 2016 - Two days of discussion and reflection began yesterday in N’Djamena, Chad, on progress achieved and challenges faced by countries of West and Central Africa (WCA) in accelerating their response to the prevention of mother-to-child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and scaling up of access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for children and adolescents. The consultation is organized by WHO and the other members of the Joint United Nations Regional Team on HIV/AIDS (JURTA), in collaboration with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

Despite the progress achieved in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and paediatric care of HIV, significant efforts still have to be made for the attainment of the 90-90-90 targets (by 2020, 90% of people living with HIV know their status; 90% of people diagnosed with HIV receive antiretroviral therapy; 90% of people living with HIV, and who are on treatment, achieve viral load suppression) in the context of the elimination of mother-to-child transmission and paediatric care of HIV in West and Central Africa by 2020. 

“At a time when other regions are preparing to eliminate HIV by 2030, it is indispensable that we refocus our efforts and strengthen health systems in our countries, to significantly enhance access of women, children and adolescents to good quality antiretroviral therapy in the context of universal health coverage,” stated Professor Georges Alfred Ki-Zerbo, acting WHO Representative for Chad in his welcome address on behalf of Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. 

Dr Djabar Hamid, Secretary General in the Ministry of Public Health, on behalf of Mr Assane Ngueadoum, Minister of Public Health of Chad, thanked the organizers of the second regional consultation on the scaling up of access to antiretroviral treatment for children and adolescents and elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (EMTCT) in West and Central Africa for choosing Chad to host the meeting. “No country in the West and Central African subregion attained the goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in 2015,” he recalled. 

Professor Mame Awa Faye, UNAIDS Country Director, describing the situation in the Region, stated that in 2015, only 1.8 million of the 4.5 million people living with HIV received ARV. She recalled the increase in new HIV infections, including 66 000 new cases in children in 2015. Meanwhile, projections for 2018 are not expected to exceed 6000 new infections. She further revealed that ARV coverage for PMTCT in the subregion was still at 48%, instead of the 95% that would ensure a significant reduction of new infections in newborns. “Scaling up the response in our countries is not an option; it is a requirement if we expect to attain the goal of eliminating HIV by 2030,” she added.

According to Mr Jean-Claude Loukaka, representative of the Secretary General of ECCAS, the second regional consultation was an essential step in monitoring the progress made in the attainment of the 90-90-90 targets and the mobilization of efforts and resources for that purpose.

At the end of the discussions, participants at the second Regional consultation will propose a new road map in view of the urgent situation in the subregion. 

At the end of the first regional consultation in Dakar in November 2015, each country had committed to implementing three priority activities in view of scaling up EMTCT over the following two years. Participants at that meeting also launched the Dakar Call for Action for scaling up EMTCT and paediatric care of HIV and agreed on the establishment of a system to monitor the progress achieved.

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For additional information:

Technical contact: 
Françoise Bigirimana, PMTCT Officer, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. 
Tel.: + 242 06 406 62 58 
Email: bigirimanaf [at] who.int (bigirimanaf[at]who[dot]int)

Djemadji-OudjieL, Noël, Adviser, HIV/Tuberculosis, WHO Country Office in Chad
Tel.: + (235) 66 42 08 05
Email: djemadjin [at] who.int (djemadjin[at]who[dot]int)

Media contact: 
Collins BOAKYE-AGYEMANG, Regional Communications Adviser, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Tel. : +242 06 520 65 65 
Email: boakyeagyemangc [at] who.int (boakyeagyemangc[at]who[dot]int)  

Fabienne ABOUA, Communications Officer, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo 
Tel.:   +242 05 662 75 68 
Email: abouaf [at] who.int (abouaf[at]who[dot]int)