WHO Report Highlights Global Challenges in HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs

A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights the ongoing challenges of global HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs, with rising incidence rates and a need for urgent action to meet ambitious targets for prevention and treatment by 2030.

2.5 million deaths annually are attributed to global HIV, viral hepatitis epidemics, and sexually transmitted infections and are still major public health challenges. Recent data indicates a rise in STIs in various regions. Despite setting a target to reduce adult syphilis infections by ten-fold by 2030, new cases increased by over 1 million in 2022 to reach 8 million. The Americas and African Region saw the highest increases in new syphilis cases among adults aged 15-49 years. Insufficient declines in new HIV and viral hepatitis infections combined with other factors could hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Over 1 million daily infections are caused by curable STIs like syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis. In 2022, syphilis-related deaths reached 230,000 and there was a surge in adult and maternal syphilis and congenital syphilis cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. New data also shows an increase in multi-resistant gonorrhea, with 9 countries reporting elevated resistance levels to the last-line treatment. Despite effective prevention and treatment tools, the number of deaths from viral hepatitis rose from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022.

In 2022, new HIV infections only decreased slightly from 1.5 million in 2020 to 1.3 million. Key population groups such as men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender individuals, and individuals in closed settings still prisons have higher HIV prevalence rates. Around 55% of new infections occur in these populations and their partners, while HIV-related deaths remain high with 630,000 deaths in 2022. Efforts to expand STI, HIV, and hepatitis services are showing positive results, with 19 countries validated by WHO for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis. Botswana and Namibia are on track to eliminate HIV, with

Namibia being the first to submit a dossier for triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis, the report shared. 
HIV treatment coverage has reached 76% globally, with 93% of those receiving treatment achieving suppressed viral loads, while efforts to improve HPV vaccination and screening for women with HIV are ongoing. There have been slight improvements in diagnosis and treatment coverage for hepatitis B and C worldwide.

The report outlined the following recommendations for “…countries to strengthen shared approaches towards achieving the targets.” 

• Implement policy and financing dialogues to develop cross-cutting investment cases and national-level sustainability plans;
• further consolidate and align disease-specific guidance, plans, and implementation support within a primary health care approach;
• accelerate efforts to address ongoing criminalization, stigma, and discrimination within health settings, particularly against populations most affected by HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs;
• expand multi-disease elimination approaches and packages, drawing from lessons learned from the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission; and
• strengthen the focus on primary prevention, diagnosis, and treatment across the diseases to raise awareness especially for hepatitis and STIs.

“While the ambitious targets set by member states for 2025 and 2030 are helping to drive progress–the progress is patchy across disease areas,” said the report. “With many indicators remaining off-track to achieve global targets, more political will and commitment are to urgently accelerate the efforts.”