World AIDS Day: Morocco launches 9th edition of Sidaction, efforts to reduce HIV transmission continue

The Moroccan Association for the Fight against AIDS (ALCS) has launched its yearly Sidaction campaign to raise awareness to AIDS and collect donations.

Launched under the theme of “AIDS is still here… Let’s make a donation,” the 9th edition of Sidaction aims to raise awareness on the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the HIV and AIDS response in Morocco, in addition to the decline of funds to fight the disease.
Meanwhile the Health Ministry revealed that Morocco records over 23.000 HIV cases by end of 2021

The Ministry released this data as December is the HIV awareness-raising month among people worldwide.

According to the health department, the prevalence of HIV in Morocco dropped slightly by 0.08%, with 830 new cases recorded during 2021. Of these cases, 77% concern the groups most at risk of infection and their partners, the department said, disclosing that 387 people died of AIDS during the same year.
The Ministry further stated that 64% of the recorded HIV cases were asymptomatic.

Geographically, most of the reported cases are still concentrated in three regions, namely Souss-Massa, then Casablanca-Settat, followed by Marrakech-Safi.

Throughout the decade between 2011 and 2021, official data confirmed a decrease in new HIV infections by 48%, compared to an increase in the percentage of people coexisting with HIV, from 22% in 2011 to 82% in 2021.

Efforts to reduce the transmission of HIV from mother to child are carried on, as the number of pregnant women who were subjected to HIV testing in prenatal consultations increased from 5,630 in 2011 to 95,808 in 2021.

The rate of prevention of infection transmission also grew, from mother to child, from 22% in 2011 to 44% in 2021, added the health ministry.