Country situational analysis [1]

At the end of 2009, HIV prevalence was estimated to be less than 0.05%. There have been 106 new HIV infections recorded from 1998 to 2008.

According to the 2010 UNAIDS Report on the AIDS epidemic, there were 12 people on antiretroviral treatment at the end of 2009. This represents 17% coverage of all people in need.

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
• 2010 UNGASS report

Contacts

UNAIDS Country Office
BP: 648 Moroni – Comores
Tel: +269 73 1558/59
Fax: +269 73 15 77

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1. All data from 2010 UNGASS report, unless otherwise stated