The number of new HIV cases in Taiwan has fallen for a second consecutive year to 1,599, a year-to-date figure that could end up being the lowest in a decade, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said on Friday.
This year is on track to be the lowest since 2009, when 1,641 new cases were recorded, which was well below the record-high of 3,377 in 2005, CDC statistics showed.
CDC Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞) attributed the decrease to preventative measures, such as promoting safe sex and treatments that reduce the risk of transmission, as well as increased access to confidential and convenient medical screening.
Twelve hospitals across Taiwan now provide “anonymous one-stop HIV screening services,” ensuring access for anyone wishing to confirm their HIV status, Lo said, adding that Taiwan has 42 designated pharmacies where people can obtain HIV medicine and receive medical counseling.
The CDC’s prevention strategy is based on those of international cities that have successfully managed HIV/AIDS, such as London, San Francisco, New York and Sydney, Lo said.
The Joint UN Program on HIV and AIDS aims that by 2020, 90 percent of people with HIV will know their status, 90 percent of them will be on antiretroviral therapy and 90 percent on antiretrovirals are virally suppressed, meaning their viral load is undetectable.
At present, Taiwan has achieved 87, 90 and 94 percent in the categories respectively, Lo said.
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