HIV/AIDs infection rises in rural areas

JUBA, (City Review) – The rate of HIV/AIDs infection in rural parts of South Sudan has spiked by almost one percent according to the latest report by the South Sudan AIDs Commission. The commission says the rate of infection has increased by 0.9 percent from 2.4 to 3.3 in 2020, mostly among the rural population.

The report, which focuses on the rate of infection among women and was produced in partnership with the Ministry of Health says the government conducted a survey among pregnant women visiting antenatal care clinics across the country in a range of 13 years, from 2007 to 2020.

The “South Sudan Antenatal Clinic Sentinel Surveillance for HIV/Syphilis 2020” was compiled by the Ministry of Health between July 1st and September 30, 2020.

Distribution

It says government-designated 41 surveillance and test centers all over South Sudan targeting women at the age of 15 – 45.

The report reveals that infections are more prevalent among women who were also diagnosed with syphilis.

Western Equatoria and Lakes State top the list as hotspots for the infection garnering 6.4 and 5.2 respectively. The region with the least prevalence in Upper Nile State. In the aforementioned regions, the prevalence was higher in rural areas, 4.4 percent compared to urban areas 3.0 percent.

“Records of 7,224 first ANC clients between July-September 2020 were extracted from 30 out of the 41 sentinel surveillance sites in South Sudan. 6,961 (96.5%) were tested for HIV, and 4377 (60.6) tested for syphilis” the report asserts in part.

The report also reveals that the disease prevalence was much lower among educated women compared to the uneducated. The government is recommending more targeted testing in locations with high prevalence and to ensure all positive cases are linked to treatment.

According to the report obtained by City Review, the data was collected from Ghordim Hospital, Mary Immaculate Hospital Mapuordit, Tambura Hospital, Yirol Hospital, Yambio Hospital, and Maridi Hospital.

Aweil State Hospital, Renk Hospital, Mapel, Marial-baai, and Pariak Primary Healthcare centers recorded a low number of positive cases. The ministry also registered an increase in Central Equatoria.

Warrap and Unity states were not covered by the report due to what they referred to as stockouts.

“The estimate that we have been using is something called expectant estimate whereby we put the data for the one year and analyze by a software called EPI INFO and we get the prevalence,” Dr. Agai Akec, deputy director for Treatment, Care and Support at the department of HIV was quoted by Eye Radio to have said.

However, the Ministry of Health acknowledged that the latest report is inconsistent with the 2017 surveillance findings which put the prevalence in rural sites at 2.4 percent and urban at 3.3 percent.

Sentinel surveillance among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics has been the main source of information on HIV trends in sub-Saharan Africa. These data have also been used to generate national HIV and AIDS estimates at national levels.

The deputy director said the government will address the anomaly so as to have a comprehensive report consistent with the population survey.

“It needs the government and partners to work it out so that we have the population-based survey and to have the accurate prevalence,” he added.

Dr. Akec revealed that the prevalence of syphilis has dropped from 8.1 percent to 2.4 percent in the country.

The South Sudan Antenatal Clinic Sentinel Surveillance for HIV/Syphilis is expected to help in monitoring the epidemic through the comparison of data from different geographical regions and changes over time.