Statistics fortunately show that HIV/AIDS has not hit as hard in The Gambia as in other
parts of Africa. However, full-blown efforts are being made to halt
its advance in the country, and everywhere you will see the
evidence—education programs, TV and radio commercials, billboards,
youth camps etc.
This column is an extract of statistics sourced from: The Gambia Draft, UNGASS Report,
December 2005. For more information see their
PDF report
Whilst the HIV/AIDS prevalence in The Gambia is
categorized as low, at 2.1% for HIV1 and
0.8% for HIV2 among women
15-49 years old attending antenatal clinic, all signs are that the
epidemic is on the increase, see Figure 1. Results from the sentinel
studies have firmly established that HIV1 is now the main virus
driving the epidemic in The Gambia; whilst HIV2 seems to be on the
decline. Like in most of sub-Saharan Africa heterosexual intercourse
is the main mode of HIV transmission.
The first round of the
National Sentinel Surveillance for HIV among antenatal women was
conducted between May 2000 and August 2001 in four health facilities,
namely Sere Kunda, Sibanor, Farafenni and Basse. The number of
sentinel sites was later increased to six in 2002 (adding Brikama and
Kuntaur) and eight in 2005 (adding Essau and Soma).
The 2004
sentinel surveillance data indicated that HIV1 prevalence amongst 15
to 49 year old pregnant women has increased at most sites, as shown in
Table 1 in page 5. There is limited data on prevalence among high-risk
groups, including sex workers who had a prevalence of 14% for HIV1 in
1993 and 28% in 19993. Furthermore, lack of data on the prevalence of
HIV in other key groups such as uniformed personnel, long distance
truck drivers, fisher folks, etc. may mask the true extent of HIV
infection rates in the country.
| |
Spending |
| 1. |
Amount of national funds disbursed by The Gambia
Government in 2004 on
HIV/AIDS: US$5,543,2271
(Source: National AIDS Secretariat) |
| |
|
| |
Policy Development &
Implementation Status |
| 2. |
National Composite Policy Index: 88 out of 100
(Source: NCPI Questionnaire) |
| |
|
| |
National Programmes: HIV
testing & prevention
programmes |
| 3. |
Percentage of population who received HIV
testing in the last 12 months and know the results: |
| |
| Gender |
Total |
| Males |
6.7% |
| Females |
4.8% |
| Both Sexes |
5.8 |
|
| |
(Source: BSS 2005) |
| |
|
| 4. |
Percentage of population reached with HIV/AIDS
prevention programmes: |
| |
4.1 - Exposure to mass media |
| |
| Gender |
Total |
| Males |
90.6% |
| Females |
86.9% |
| Both Sexes |
88.7% |
|
| |
(Source: BSS 2005) |
| |
|
| |
4.2 - STI (genital discharge and/or genital
ulcer) treatment |
| |
| Gender |
Total |
| Males |
40.4% |
| Females |
26.3% |
| Both Sexes |
34.1% |
|
| |
(Source: BSS 2005) |
| |
|
| |
KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOUR |
| 5. |
Percentage of population who both correctly
identify ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and
who reject major misconception(s) about HIV transmission:
Males: 50.7%
Females: 48.8%
Both sexes: 49.7%
The above combines knowledge about all three ABC modes of
prevention and knowing that a healthy looking person can have
HIV.
(Source: BSS 2005) |
| |
|
| 6. |
Percentage of female and male sex workers
reporting the use of a condom with their most recent client:
Using male and female respondents who have had sex with
commercial partners as a proxy, 70.0% and 60.0%, respectively,
reported using condoms
(Source: BSS 2005) |
| |
|
| 7. |
- no data |
| |
|
| 8. |
Percentage of injecting drug users who have
adopted behaviours that reduce transmission of HIV, i.e., who
avoid sharing equipment and use condoms, in the last 12 months:
Data not available |
| |
|
| |
IMPACT |
| 9. |
Percentage of women 15-49 years attending
antenatal clinic who are infected with HIV:
Antenatal clinic attendees: 2.1% for HIV1 and 0.8% for HIV2 |
| |
(Source: 2004 National Sentinel Surveillance
Report) |
| |
|
| |
GLOBAL COMMITMENT & ACTIONS |
| |
|
| 1. |
Amount of bilateral & multilateral financial
flows (commitments & disbursements) for the benefit of low &
middle income countries: US$971,044 for the period
January-December 2004 |
| |
(Source: Interviews with bilateral and
multilateral partners) |
| |
|
| 2. |
Amount of public funds for Research and
Development of preventive HIV vaccines and microbicides: US$0
As at now (December, 2005) there are no public funds have been
committed to the research and
development of HIV vaccines and microbicides
(Source: NAS) |
| |
|
| 3. |
Percentage of trans-national companies which are
present in developing countries and which have HIV/AIDS
workplace policies and programmes:
15.4% (4 out of 26 companies2) (Source: GCCI and interviews
with companies) |
| |
|
| 4. |
Percentage of international organizations which
have workplace policies and programmes:
75.0% (9 out of 12 international organizations)
(Source: TANGO, NAS, and interviews with organizations) |
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|
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END |
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The UNDP has worked in partnership with the Gambia Government to
combat HIV/AIDS for over 10 years and it put helped to put the
disease on the national agenda through the National AIDS Control
Programme (NACP). The main aim of the project is to assist
policy development and reinforce partnerships and national
capacities in a sustainable way that alleviates not just HIV but
also poverty. A National AIDS Secretariat was established, and
being supported by the World Bank.
The aids awareness campaign involves billboards, aids prevention
messages during strategic TV programmes, workshops, seminars and
the production of educational materials targeted at all sections
of Gambian society.
Today between 35-50 youth and women's groups are supported
through the campaign.
Because of the engagement of local
musicians and NGOs in the project's execution there is a higher
level of awareness in the public at large and particularly among
youth groups about the the causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS
and STDS.

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