The Republic of Equatorial Guinea outlined aggressive new programs to eliminate HIV/AIDS in the country, building on previous work by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the direction of the President, HE Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
Equatorial Guinea, in line with the Horizon 2020 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), announced a three-prong approach to eliminating HIV/AIDS, including reducing the number of people infected, reducing the number of deaths caused by the epidemic throughout the world, and eliminating the stigmatization and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.
Equatorial Guinea, in partnership with the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), has implemented the Start Free-Stay Free-AIDS strategy to further speed up the fight against the epidemic, including the elimination of vertical transmission, early diagnosis in children, and pediatric treatment of adolescents.
The strategy is a global commitment to guarantee access to the treatment of 30 million people who like with HIV/AIDS to eliminate new infections in children and ensure that young people have the responsibility, knowledge, and ability to protect themselves through sexual health and reproductive services.
Equatorial Guinea has previously called for global action against HIV/AIDS at the Workshop on Communication for Prevention, in partnership with UNAIDS.
Equatorial Guinea, along with its fellow UN member states, participated in the study to create channels through which information on the prevention of HIV/AIDS could reach the at-risk populations.
Equatorial Guinea has achieved significant milestones in literacy, healthcare services, education and infrastructure development. It has also made significant contributions to pan-African initiatives such as a $30 million contribution to the Trust Fund for Food Security in Africa, $2 million in annual support to the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea Prize for The Life Sciences, $3 million in support of the response to the Ebola pandemic, as well as emergency aid for several countries that have suffered natural disasters.
The country’s development success is a model for peaceful development that remains committed to fulfilling the obligations of the United Nations. Equatorial Guinea has been acknowledged by the United Nations and numerous civil society agencies for its unwavering efforts to improve the quality of life of its citizens through the implementation of sustainable social programs.
100 percent of HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment is funded by the government; more than 74 percent of the population has access to clean water; 96.8 of the population is literate, one of the highest in Africa; it has joined the fight against climate change and acted to protect the environment through the creation of the National Institute for Forestry and Protection (INDEFOR); it is one of the ten most peaceful countries in Africa; and is one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, with an average 3 percent annual GDP growth over the past ten years.
UNAIDS is the main UN advocate for accelerated, comprehensive, and coordinated international projects on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.