Togo is a densely populated West African nation situated on the Gulf of Guinea, home to approximately 8.5 million people. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), an estimated 110,000 adults and children throughout the country are living with HIV/AIDS. This is a number that reflects a steady decline in infection rate. However, it also demonstrates the persistence of these sexually transmitted diseases within sub-Saharan Africa. Today, international aid and government initiatives are crucial. This work ensures that the citizens receive the treatment and education necessary to combat HIV/AIDS in Togo.

Attitudes Surrounding HIV/AIDS in Togo

There are a multitude of sociocultural barriers that stigmatize and discriminate against people living with HIV/AIDS in Togo. Between 2015 and 2020 the prevalence of discriminatory attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS was reported as the highest in West Africa out of all of the sub-Saharan African regions. Although the law in Togo currently prohibits discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS and mandates the National Council for the Fight against AIDS (CNLS) to use active measures to prevent discrimination, affected individuals are still often subject to prejudice and mistreatment by their peers.

Reported cases of family abandonment can be attributed to the widespread perception that HIV/AIDS is a religious punishment for homosexuality. This perspective leads to the worry of severely tarnishing a family’s image in society. Humiliation and fear that come with discrimination play large roles in deterring affected individuals from tests and treatment.  

Seeking Solutions: American Assistance and Aid

The United States established diplomatic relations with Togo in 1960 and has been active in maintaining good relations since then. Although the U.S. has been involved in efforts to combat HIV/AIDS since the mid-1980s, it has spent close to $50 million in to fight and treat HIV/AIDs in Togo. This has led to a significant increase in testing and greater accessibility to antiretroviral treatments.

Additionally, as a collaborative effort with domestic groups, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hopes to end AIDS by the target year of 2030. They intend to fund and provide resources to the Ending AIDS project. This project aims to enhance HIV prevention, care and treatment services by engaging existing networks with local partners. Adding associates such as ministries of health and faith-based organizations can build upon trust and ensure lasting change.

The work of the U.S. as a whole continues to be vital in relieving the pressure on Togo. Work is ongoing to help solve the persistent worldwide public health issue in HIV/AIDS.

International Intervention: The Global Fund

In the fight for health, there is an international private-public partnership designed to accelerate the defeat of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria throughout the world. The Global Fund historically allocates funding to eligible countries every three years. Notably, it has allocated a total of $44.52 million toward ending HIV/AIDs in Togo for the years 2023-2025.

The Global Fund has been providing funding to Togo since 2014 and has been responsible for yielding positive results. For example, 1,828 infants have been tested for HIV. Additionally, 680,173 young people aged 10-24 had access to comprehensive sexuality education and/or life skills-based education in or out of schools in 2022. 

Continued Progress

Although HIV/AIDS in Togo remains one of the leading health threats throughout the nation, the last 10 years has seen a steady decrease in cases. There is evidence of a decline with a drop of 2.5% to 1.9% with respect to the Togolese population aged between 15-49 with HIV from 2015 to 2021.  

Global funding and government initiatives have been largely successful in increasing accessibility to HIV tests. According to The Global Fund, as of 2022, 33,000 HIV tests were taken by priority and key Togolese populations. Additionally, 720,000 people were reached with HIV prevention services. Additionally, 85% of the people living with HIV/AIDs in Togo knew their status – a 25% increase from 60% in 2015. Furthermore, of the estimated 69% of people in Togo who knew their HIV status in 2019, 96% of them were on antiretroviral therapy.  

Such progress can be accredited to factors like global and local efforts taking place to overcome discrimination and decrease the rate of HIV/AIDS in Togo. If efforts continue, they will contribute vastly to defeating the persistence of the disease. 

– Arabella Wood-Collins 
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