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According to the visiting Lead of U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), George Tidwell there are 85,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone.
He made this assertion at the conclusion of a five-day training session for the 15 new facilities supported through PEPFAR.
Tidwell stated that 85,000 people are with HIV/AIDS in Sierra Leone, noting that 38,400 people were diagnosed in 2020, whilst 2021 saw the figure jump to 51,097, which is over 20 percent increase.
According to Tidwell, from the 2020 diagnosed cases, 34,400 were on treatment, adding that there is the need for new strategies this year to contain the spread of the disease.
Speaking to participants of the training session, United States Ambassador David Reimer stated, “This training, and the site level support that will follow, will enable you to improve the services and outcomes in your communities, and contribute to the rapidly improving National HIV Response.”
“The training and the site level support will follow enable you to improve the services and outcomes in your community and contribution to the rapidly improving National HIV Response,” the Ambassador said.
He noted that he is proud of what the US and Sierra Leone are accomplishing together in the fight against HIV/AIDS and encouraged the health workers to apply the new strategies they have learned.
U.S. support of expanded treatment facilities and accessibility will enable Sierra Leone to meet the UNAIDS global goal of 95% of people living with HIV should know their status; 95% of those who know their status are on treatment; and 95% of those on treatment will have achieved viral suppression by 2030.
PEPFAR is now in its second year of support to Sierra Leone. Due to the program’s success in its first year, the United States has nearly doubled funding for the program this year to $9 million.
