The federal government has earmarked an additional one million euros to provide preventive treatment against HIV to vulnerable people at high risk, Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said on Tuesday, following figures published by the Institute of public health Sciensano, from which it appears that The number of diagnostics increased by 4% in 2021 after a significant decline in 2020.
This budget is part of an HIV plan intended to achieve the objective set by UNAIDS of ending the epidemic by 2030. The plan was approved by an interministerial conference in October after consultation with the actors involved in the fight against the virus and patients. This plan includes a list of actions ranging from permanent awareness of sexual health to awareness of “chemsex” (combining the practice of sex and taking drugs), through the monitoring of sexual health by Sciensano, the systematic contact of patients who do not show up for their follow-up appointment, the promotion of the expertise of healthcare providers, etc.
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Among the new priority action points are the accessibility and use of preventive treatment for people at high risk of infection. The Sciensano report shows that HIV transmission among men who have sex with men in Belgium will start to rise again in 2021. Obstacles are noted, especially among people without health insurance. Health and social centers for sex workers and HIV reference centers will be closely associated. It is also planned to provide HIV care taking into account the aging of patients and to continue developing the legal framework allowing combined screening for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases by non-medical care providers to allow organizations to target hard-to-reach populations.
“We really need to redouble our efforts to reduce the number of new HIV infections and quickly diagnose HIV-positive people, because early diagnosis allows rapid initiation of HIV treatment,” the minister explained.