HIV in the Middle East

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
What is the state of the evidence? All countries of the Middle East and north Africa compile statistics on reported cases of HIV and AIDS, but case definitions are inconsistent and local capacity for diagnosis and reporting is uneven. Nearly all countries screen blood donors, but epidemiological surveillance is lacking and monitoring of special risk groups is infrequent and at times hampered by local sensitivities. Only a few countries test pregnant women to estimate HIV prevalence in the population. Knowledge, attitude, belief, and practice surveys have been carried out in several countries,3–5 but they rarely include behaviours because of strong reluctance to discuss sexuality. Thus information about HIV prevalence and trends in the region is insufficient, under-reporting is likely, and it is not possible to obtain exact statistics or to ascertain the specific determinants of levels and trends of HIV. Information resources Global Report on HIV (www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/news60/en/index.html)—contains the most recent statistics on HIV World Health Organization Global Health Atlas (www.who.int/globalatlas/default.asp)—provides country by country updates and fact sheets on epidemiology of HIV Information on the Middle East region League of Arab States (www.arab.de/arabinfo/league.htm)—has a list of the Arab countries included in this review World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (www.emro.who.int/asd/)—includes reports, activities, and links to country websites Joint United Nations Programme on HIV AIDS (UNAIDS) (www.unaids.org/en/Coordination/Regions/MiddleEastAndNorthAfrica.asp)—provides links to statistics and graphics for the Middle East Websites from countries of the region National program of Lebanon (www.emro.who.int/lebanon/NationalProg-aids.htm)—provides information on the epidemiology and legal context of HIV, along with basic information on the disease, tests, care and support, and ongoing and planned activities Ministry of Public Health, Lebanon (www.public-health.gov.lb/aidsngos.shtml)—contains brochures, publications, TV spots, songs about AIDS prevention and a list of non-governmental organisations working on HIV in Lebanon; (www.public-health.gov.lb/aidspublications.shtml) Programme d'appui pour la lutte contre le SIDA (www.programmesida.org.ma/)—the national programme in Morocco, which took the lead in openly promoting condom use Information on the triangular clinic for harm reduction in Kermanshah, Iran (www.emro.who.int/asd/Publications-Regional.htm) Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (www.emro.who.int/Publications/EMHJ/0401/28.htm)—analysis of Family House, an Egyptian soap opera from the 1990s that referred to HIV Positive Muslims (www.positivemuslims.org.za/)—website on HIV positive Muslims in South Africa The evidence has, however, been improving, and recently there has been greater attention to the epidemiology and behavioural dimension of the epidemic. Examples of this expansion include analyses of the epidemiology of HIV in Iran, Lebanon, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia; surveys in Iran among sex workers, prisoners, children, Gypsies, and injecting drug users; and studies on hospital patients and clinic users in Saudi Arabia and on children in Sudan.6–11 The growing body of evidence in countries of the Middle East and north Africa indicates that the problem of HIV is being increasingly recognised, and it makes it possible to assess the situation of HIV in the region.