WHO Lists Gay Men Among 5 Groups of People with High HIV Infection Rate

A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) published on Tuesday, May 21 showed that the number of new HIV infections in 2022 were 1.3 million 

Among the groups listed by WHO for having a high HIV infection rate were men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender individuals, and individuals in prisons and other closed settings.

20% of the new HIV infection were gay men and men who have sex with men. An estimated 55% of new infections occurred among key populations and their partners.

“Men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers, transgender people, and people in prisons and other closed settings – continue to have much higher HIV incidence than members of the general population,” the report read in part.

Data for HIV Infections 

The report further stated that thirty-nine million people were living with HIV at the end of 2022.

Out of the thirty-nine million people living with HIV, 1.5 million are children under the age of 15 years.

Access to testing and treatment was found to be lower among children as compared to adults, and health outcomes for children.

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More than 86% of infected people are aware of their HIV status.

“86% of people living with HIV are aware of their HIV status,” the report said.

However, new HIV infections only declined from 1.5 million in 2020 to 1.3 million in 2022.

Despite the widespread availability of antiretroviral therapy and other biomedical tools to prevent deaths from HIV-related causes, there were 630 000 such deaths in 2022.

“There were 630 000 deaths from HIV-related causes in 2022, with 13% of these deaths occurring in children under the age of 15 years.”

WHO 2025 Target

Treatment coverage continued to expand in 2022, with antiretroviral therapy provided to 76% of people living with HIV globally.

WHO aims to reduce the number of new HIV infection to the 2025 target of 370 000 is central to the sustainability of the HIV response.

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“Reaching the 2025 target would require progress to be greatly accelerated,” the report stated.

“WHO has promoted the global scale-up of simplified PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis delivery, with a focus on reducing the need for frequent facility visits, including through streamlining HIV testing requirements,” the report further stated.

In addition, the report warned that the increase in STIs, combined with insufficient decline in the reduction of new HIV and viral hepatitis infections globally, threatened health targets which are part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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