HIV prevalence declining in Morocco, rising in MENA region

A recent report by Frontline AIDS highlighted a 35% decline in new HIV infections in Morocco between 2010 and 2023, in stark contrast to trends in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where the overall number of new infections has increased significantly. In Egypt, the figure rose by more than 600%, in Tunisia by 59%, and in Lebanon by 79%. Across the MENA region, new infections surged by 116%, with more than 22,000 cases documented between 2010 and 2023. Conversely, AIDS-related deaths in the region exhibited a decline of 6%. Morocco’s positive results are mainly due to the adoption of comprehensive and effective preventive strategies to combat sexually transmitted infections. However, social stigma towards the LGBTQ+ community, sex workers, and drug addicts still prevents access to testing and treatment services. The report highlights several risk factors that are detrimental to the MENA region, including a lack of political will and inadequate funding. The report further emphasises the need for regional governments to adopt updated strategic plans involving long-term national investments, and to implement preventive measures such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the promotion of condoms, and sexuality education, all of which should form integral components of national health systems.