Comoros

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Country Situational Analysis

Situation of HIV epidemic in the country

According to UNAIDS/WHO estimates for 2007 there are less than 200 people living with HIV in Comoros which is equivalent to less than 0.1% HIV prevalence.

Even though Comoros has a low HIV prevalence, the country report considerable poverty, low condom use, early sexual debut, HIV-related stigma, low HIV awareness and high incidence of sexually transmitted infections.

There are currently only eight people on antiretroviral treatment.

Key elements of the national response

Between January 2006 and December 2007 a series of actions were undertaken with the aim to:

  • Strengthen the National Programme to fight AIDS and increase involvement of other ministries other than the Ministry of Health in the response to HIV
  • Strengthen partnerships with other stakeholders involved in the response to HIV and with civil society, the private sector, the Ministry of Education and faith-based organisations
  • Strengthen prevention activities through inclusion of HIV education in the national curriculum
  • Mobilize resources
  • Review the national HIV epidemiological data
  • Promote awareness of condom use
  • Keep HIV prevalence under 1%

Since the end of 2005 the response to HIV has been included in the Strategic Growth and Poverty Reduction Document has included the response to HIV as one of the key elements to increasing the country’s economic and social development.

Key achievements

  • Launch of a new Stratetic Plan for 2008-2012 with the overall objective of keeping HIV below 1%.
  • Elaboration of a strategic plan to address HIV in the workplace which includes:
  • Creating an ethical and juridical environment in the workplace that promotes the respect, dignity and rights of people living with HIV
  • Strengthening the care, treatment and support of people living with HIV
  • Collating and disseminating epidemiological data about the impact of HIV in the workplace
  • Since 2006 there has been a focus on raising awareness of HIV, increasing availability of condoms and scaling-up prevention of mother-to-child transmission
  • Launch of the National Plan to Accelerate Prevention (2008-2010)
  • Inclusion of HIV education in the national curriculum

Key challenges

  • Limited financial resources to implement effective HIV interventions
  • Human resources shortage
  • Weak monitoring and evaluation
  • Widespread HIV-related stigma and discrimination

Useful Links

National Strategic Plan
PMTCT and Paediatric Care and Treatment Fact Sheet

Contacts

UNAIDS Country Office
BP: 648 Moroni – Comores
Tel: +269 73 15 58 / 59
Fax: +269 73 15 77

UNAIDS Global Report Data

Basic indicators

For consistency reasons the data in the table below are taken from official UN publications.

Demographic data

Year

Estimate

Source

Total population (thousands)

2007

839

UN Population Division

Population aged 15-49 (thousands)

2007

413

UN Population Division

Female population aged 15-24 (thousands)

2007

85

UN Population Division

Annual population growth rate (%)

2005-2010

2.6

UN Population Division

% of population in urban areas

2007

38

UN Population Division

Crude birth rate (births per 1000 pop.)

2007

33.7

UN Population Division

Crude death rate (deaths per 1000 pop.)

2007

6.5

UN Population Division

Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births)

2005

400

WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank, 2007

Life expectancy at birth (years)

2006

65

World Health Statistics 2008, WHO

Total fertility rate (per woman)

2006

4.5

WHO Statistical Information System (WHOSIS)

Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births)

2006

51

World Health Statistics 2008, WHO

Under 5 mortality rate (per 1000 live births)

2006

68

World Health Statistics 2008, WHO

Socio-economic data

Year

Estimate

Source

Gross national income, ppp, per capita (Int.$)

2006

1 140

World Bank

Per capita total expenditure on health (Int.$)

2005

32

World Health Statistics 2008, WHO

General government expenditure on health as % of total government expenditure on health (Int.$)

2005

8.0

World Health Statistics 2008, WHO

Adult literacy rate, both sexes (%)

2006

73

UNESCO

Adult literacy rate, male (%)

2006

79.6

UNESCO

Adult literacy rate, female (%)

2006

68.8

UNESCO

Net primary school enrolment ratio, male (%)

2006

...

UNESCO

Net primary school enrolment ratio, female (%)

2006

...

UNESCO

Human Development Index (ranking)

2007/2008

134

UNDP

Human Poverty Index (ranking)

2007/2008

61

UNDP

2005

2006

2007

National funds spent by governments on HIV and AIDS from domestic sources (million USD)

0.2

Source: UNAIDS: Epidemiological Fact Sheets on HIV and AIDS, 2008 Update