No one needs to die of AIDS because, thanks to science, lifesaving antiretroviral therapy and viral suppression can gift all people living with HIV a healthy and fulfilling life. But, unfortunately, many a slip between the cup and the lip. “Even one AIDS death is a death too many. Despite having the tools and scientific know-how to avert AIDS deaths, 630,000 people died of AIDS in 2022. Governments, donors, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing companies, HIV and health advocates and activists, and all other stakeholders could have done better if we were to avert AIDS-related deaths,” said firebrand health and human rights activist Loon Gangte who leads Delhi Network of People living with HIV (DNP Plus) and International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) in South Asian region.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with advanced HIV disease are at a very high risk of opportunistic infections and deaths. About one fifth of people living with HIV admitted to hospital do not survive their hospital admission, and of those who survive, nearly a third die or are readmitted to hospital within a year.
People with advanced HIV disease are dying. It is time to hold governments to account, said Loon. He was speaking at a pre-conference of 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) in Munich, Germany.
WHO defines advanced HIV disease as CD4 cell count less than 200cells/mm3 (or WHO stage 3 or 4 in adults and adolescents). All children younger than five years of age are considered to have advanced HIV disease, given their heightened risk of disease progression and mortality.
People with advanced HIV disease are at high risk of death, even after starting antiretroviral therapy; this risk increases with decreasing CD4 cell count. The most common causes of severe illness and death are TB, severe bacterial infections and cryptococcal meningitis.
“20 years ago, we all had advanced HIV disease. My CD4 cell count was 98 before I started taking antiretroviral therapy,” said Loon Gangte. His words are also a........