KIGALI, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda is aiming to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) anti-AIDS target of ending AIDS by 2030, Rwandan Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije said Wednesday during an event to commemorate the World AIDS Day in Nyagatare district, eastern province.
"The recent survey results demonstrate that Rwanda has made significant strides in HIV response. Today, 86 percent of people living with HIV are aware of their status, 97 percent of those who know their status on antiretroviral treatment, and 90 percent of those on treatment have suppressed the viral load," said Ngamije.
"This is a milestone against the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target and we look forward to achieving the new UNAIDS triple 95 target set for the year 2030," he said.
According to him, the current progress made in the fight against HIV infection in the country indicates that HIV/AIDS epidemic in Rwanda could come to an end by the year 2030.
Rwanda's achievements in the fight against AIDS are attributed to different factors, including advocacy and resource mobilization, global solidarity and partnership, access to services, community engagement, and accountability at all levels, according to the Rwandan health ministry.
Marked every year on December 1, World AIDS Day is the moment of the year when millions of people come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, reflect on progress made in responding to the epidemic, and recommit to ending it.
In Rwanda, the day was marked under the theme, "Together we end AIDS."
HIV prevalence in Rwanda stands at 3 percent with 3.6 percent of women, 2.2 percent of men contracting the virus, according to the Rwanda HIV Stigma Index Survey conducted by Rwanda Biomedical Center from October 2019 to June 2020. Enditem
