Publication: Characterizing the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the Middle East and North Africa : Time for Strategic Action
Date
2010
ISSN
Published
2010
Author(s)
Abu-Raddad, Laith J.
Akala, Francisca Ayodeji
Semini, Iris
Riedner, Gabriele
Wilson, David
Tawil, Ousama
Abstract
Despite a fair amount of progress on
understanding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
epidemiology globally, the Middle East and North Africa
(MENA) region is the only region where knowledge of the
epidemic continues to be very limited, and subject to much
controversy. It has been more than 25 years since the
discovery of HIV, but no scientific study has provided a
comprehensive data-driven synthesis of HIV/AIDS (acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome) infectious spread in this region.
The current report provides the first comprehensive
scientific assessment and data-driven epidemiological
synthesis of HIV spread in MENA since the beginning of the
epidemic. It is based on a literature review and analysis of
thousands of widely unrecognized publications, reports, and
data sources extracted from scientific literature or
collected from sources at the local, national, and regional
levels. The recommendations provided here focus on key
strategies related to the scope of this report and its
emphasis on understanding HIV epidemiology in MENA as a
whole. The recommendations are based on identifying the
status of the HIV epidemic in MENA, through this synthesis,
as a low HIV prevalence setting with rising concentrated
epidemics among priority populations. General directions for
prevention interventions as warranted by the outcome of this
synthesis are also discussed briefly, but are not delineated
because they are beyond the scope of this report. This
report was not intended to provide intervention
recommendations for each MENA country.
Citation
“Abu-Raddad, Laith J.; Akala, Francisca Ayodeji; Semini, Iris; Riedner, Gabriele; Wilson, David; Tawil, Ousama. 2010. Characterizing the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
in the Middle East and North Africa : Time for Strategic Action. © World Bank. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2457 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”