Osun state launched its HIV Treatment Surge initiative with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
US CDC Country Director Mary Boyd emphasized at the launch event that Surge efforts in health facilities and with communities were not routine for the state's HIV program; rather, they were intensified and novel partnerships to increase the number of HIV-positive people receiving antiretroviral treatment.
She stated, "a lot of hard work will be needed to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goal (having 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those on antiretrovirals (ART), and 95% of those on ART reaching viral suppression), but I have no doubt this Surge will propel the state to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat and thereby save many lives."
Nearly 30,000 people are thought to be living with HIV in Osun State at the moment, 13,500 of whom have not yet been identified and given treatment. The HIV Treatment Surge aims to quickly close this gap and reach treatment saturation through intensified and novel strategies.
Before the event, U.S. Consul General Will Stevens discussed the need for equal access to HIV services throughout the state with the Governor of Osun State.
One of many that have taken place in states since 2019 is the Osun State HIV Treatment Surge.
