HIV/AIDS in Guatemala
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Prevalence
With less than 1 percent of the adult population estimated to be
Guatemala's HIV-infected population lives primarily in urban areas along major transportation routes. According to Guatemala's 2007 National Epidemiological Center report, more than 77 percent of reported HIV/AIDS cases occurred in seven departments: Suchitepéquez, Guatemala, Izabal, Escuintla, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, and Quetzaltenango. The NAP estimates that 80 percent of reported HIV cases have occurred among 15- to 49-year-olds, with 20- to 34-year-olds accounting for more than 51 percent of all cases. National HIV prevalence among sex workers is 4 percent, and among street-based female sex workers prevalence is as high as 12 percent.[1]
National HIV prevalence among
According to the MOH, no cases of infection have been reported among injecting drug users or through blood or blood products. Available data indicate that HIV has affected mainly
Several risk factors contribute to Guatemala's epidemic, including migration and tourism. While in transit, migrants may participate in high-risk sexual behavior, increasing their chances of becoming infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The Garifuna population, which shares cultural and ethnic characteristics with the Caribbean countries, is more at risk than the general population. The effects of HIV/AIDS are exacerbated by high poverty levels and limited access to health care, particularly among
The rate of HIV co-infection with tuberculosis (TB) is growing. The current rate of new TB infections is 34 per 100,000 people and a 2006 study cited by UNAIDS found that HIV prevalence among new TB patients in Quetzaltenango tripled from 4.2 to 12 percent between 1995 and 2002. TB is the most frequent opportunistic infection associated with HIV/AIDS in Guatemala.[1]
National response
According to the 2003 AIDS Program Effort Index, a tool developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to measure the collective effort put into an effective HIV/AIDS response by individuals and domestic and international organizations, Guatemala had a score of 52, which is an improvement from the score in 1996 but still slightly lower than the average score of 55 for
The NAP has been responsible for the surveillance of the epidemic since 1984. However, sentinel surveillance was not established until 1998. Over the past several years, the
In recent years, the NAP has improved communication with civil society and other institutions to coordinate national efforts. This has resulted in the establishment of NAP-led technical committees with multisectoral participation to address such issues as standardizing diagnosis, treatment, and care. Moreover, the Country Coordination Mechanism serves as an inter-institutional coordinating body, aimed at better implementing Global Fund projects. Guatemala is also implementing the Regional HIV/STI Plan for the Health Sector 2006–2015 of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The Plan is designed to assist health services and systems in the Americas to more effectively respond to the HIV epidemic and prevent STIs.[1]
Guatemala receives significant support from the Global Fund to expand prevention, care, and treatment activities among vulnerable groups and in priority geographic areas of the country. The objectives of the Global Fund are to expand prevention activities and ART services from the capital city to regions with the highest HIV incidence; to improve coordination among civil society organizations working in HIV/AIDS, and to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV by expanding voluntary screening and counseling for pregnant women. Bilateral donors, including USAID and European countries, also provide support for prevention, treatment, care, and health system improvement initiatives.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Health Profile: Guatemala" Archived 2008-09-13 at the Wayback Machine. United States Agency for International Development (June 2008). Accessed September 7, 2008. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.