As Liberia grapples with prevailing public health crises, including Mpox and Lassa Fever, new data from the United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) in collaboration with the National AIDS Commission of Liberia still shows a high prevalence and transmission rate of HIV and AIDS in Liberia.
UNAIDS estimates that 34,000 people in Liberia, including adults and children, are living with HIV.
The data shows 1,000 new HIV infections, 1,000 AIDS-related infections, and a 14.7% vertical transmission rate.
According to UNAIDS and NAC, 21,600 infected HIV persons are found in Montserrado, 2,600 in Nimba, 1600 in Maryland, 1,400 in Bassa, 1,100 in Bong, 1000 in Lofa, 1000 in Grand Gedeh, 500 in Cape mount, River Cess 300, Sinoe 400, Grand Kru 300, Gbarpolu 300.
Liberia is one of the countries that have pledged to the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals to achieve epidemic control and established key priorities in the national ART Guidelines, HIV Testing Guidelines, and the National Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025).
According to UNAIDS and USAID reports, Liberia has a mixed HIV epidemic, with an HIV transmission rate of 14.7%.
An integrated biobehavioural surveillance study (IBBS) released a report in 2018 that said HIV prevalence was higher among women compared to men. “Data also indicates that Key Populations (KP) are more at risk for and bear the greatest burden of HIV in the country.
The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and Global Fund (GF) support for KP programming began in 2019, focusing on Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSW), transgender people (TG), and sexual partners of KPs.”
The data from UNAIDS rarely show any change. Though Liberia has HIV-related Laws and policies, there’s still a 67.5% discrimination rate against people living with HIV/AIDS in Liberia, with 69.1% constituting women and 64.2% constituting men.
The latest data raises concerns about HIV/AIDS infections in Liberia and the steps the government is taking to address it.
