EU and Libya to develop HIV/AIDS strategy
The EU and Libya have launched a project for the development of an HIV strategy and support programme in the North African state. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in the UK is leading the project and offering technical support to the Libyan government to finalise the plan of action. The project is supported with EUR 1 million by the Delegation of the European Commission to Libya. Researchers from the LSTM's International Health Group, Libyan institutions and Harvard University's Biostatistics Department (HUBD) in the US are working together to present new and comprehensive information on the current epidemiology of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection in Libya. According to the researchers, the two-year collaboration will help generate an effective national HIV strategy. Libya currently faces multiple challenges as it seeks to get a better grip on HIV and to provide appropriate treatment, care and support for people of all ages living with HIV and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). In a statement, the LSTM researchers said that the problem of providing better care to children with HIV is 'compounded by the need to control a concentrated HIV epidemic' that seriously impacts the lives of those most at risk, and for which there is not enough epidemiological data. Moreover, despite updated information about HIV and AIDS, most people in Libya have little understanding about the drivers of the epidemic among those most at risk, and about 'the perception of risk and knowledge of HIV among influential sectors of the community', according to the LSTM researchers. Fear of the disease is common, and those who suffer are stigmatised. Experts believe local officials need to step up to the plate and present strong surveillance strategies for the public. Sources have been quoted as saying that HIV/AIDS is a stigmatised disease because of its links with drug use and sex outside of marriage. Studies conducted in the late 1990s to mid 2000s also indicated low prevalence of HIV infection in various environments, like prisons and hospitals. The main goals of the project partners, who are being led by LSTM's Professor Joseph Valadez, include the development of a national HIV strategy that focuses on Libya's priority issues for HIV prevention and care; the development of policies and procedures to fuel best practice and evidence-based harm-minimisation activities amongst key high-risk groups (e.g. sex workers and intravenous drug users); and the coordination and dissemination of HIV strategy messages and policies. The partners will design 'knowledge, attitudes and practices' (KAP) surveys, which will be used to help them gather knowledge and clarify misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted and prevented. They will also gather information about how locals feel about people affected by this disease. Professor Valadez is one of the pioneers of methods to assess KAP, and has used them for HIV assessment programmes in several countries. According to the partners, surveys will be based on instruments that have been tested on a global scale and are adapted to the needs of the Libyan public. The surveys will play a major role in helping the partners determine better training and capacity building among health-facility workers, youth and even religious leaders. 'This project will establish an overall HIV strategy for Libya and provide a framework for making important decisions about how to control HIV,' Professor Valadez remarked. 'It will also aid Libya to join the other countries of North Africa who have HIV strategies and participate in the international UNAIDS [Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS] community. We hope this project will also allow us all to better understand how HIV is progressing in North Africa and hopefully provide us with information about how to better control it.'
Countries
Libya