On the occasion of World Aids Day, on Sunday 1 December 2024, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Health and Social Security relayed the message of the World Health Organization (WHO): "Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!”
This message emphasises the importance of guaranteeing equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment for all.
In a statement, the ministry said that HIV is a preventable infection through the adoption of appropriate behaviour (safe sex and the safe use of injection equipment). However, it still affects 39 million people worldwide, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2023.
Therapeutic advances offer infected people a normal life. To eliminate the AIDS epidemic by 2030, UNAIDS has set ambitious targets, namely "95-95-95":
- diagnose 95% of people living with HIV;
- provide antiretroviral treatment (ART) to 95% of people diagnosed;
- achieve an undetectable viral load in 95% of people on treatment.
The ministry stated that current figures show notable progress has been made in Luxembourg, but efforts need to be continued:
- 85% of people living with HIV in Luxembourg are diagnosed;
- 89% of people diagnosed are receiving treatment;
- 95% of patients receiving treatment have an undetectable viral load.
In 2023, 53 new cases were recorded in Luxembourg, a slight decrease compared to the 67 cases in 2022. These new diagnoses mainly concern young men (20-35 years old) who have sexual relations with men, while heterosexual transmissions affect a wider age range, from 26 to over 54 years.
A national awareness and prevention campaign will run until Saturday 21 December 2024, focusing on: the promotion of regular screening; the use of HIV prevention tools; free distribution of condoms at Christmas markets in Luxembourg City, Dudelange and Diekirch.
The Luxembourg Red Cross HIV Berodung will also strengthen its preventative actions.
Luxembourg’s Minister of Health and Social Security, Martine Deprez, stated: "Understanding risky behaviours and choosing prevention adapted to each situation are essential measures to protect oneself and others".
The ministry underlined that a comprehensive approach for better care involves combined prevention, based on three main axes:
- Use of external and internal condoms: used correctly and systematically, they remain the most effective method to protect against HIV, STIs and unwanted pregnancies;
- Screening: early screening improves quality of life and prevents transmission;
- Antiretroviral treatment: pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): this preventive treatment is intended for HIV-negative people at high risk of infection but it does not protect against other STIs; post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): this emergency treatment, effective if taken within 72 hours after a risky exposure, prevents HIV infection; Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U): an HIV-positive person with an undetectable viral load for six months, thanks to treatment, no longer transmits the virus.
