The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Center for AIDS Research, the Foundation for AIDS Research, and the National Institutes of Health, has announced a special issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS). The issue is titled "HIV Risks and Vulnerabilities among Key Populations in West and Central Africa—Evidence to Inform HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care."
In West and Central Africa, over 6.5 million people are living with HIV across 24 countries with a population exceeding 350 million. The average HIV prevalence rate in this region stands at 4.9 percent within the general population. However, key populations such as female sex workers, their clients, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs face significantly higher rates—19 to 30 times more than the general populace.
Since 2008, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has collaborated with the Ghana AIDS Commission to work towards an AIDS-free generation. The focus remains on making strategic investments that will contribute to sustained epidemic control.
To address data gaps concerning high-risk populations' HIV transmission dynamics in this region, USAID funded this special JAIDS issue through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This edition includes 23 articles detailing risks and opportunities related to HIV prevention and treatment among key populations. Data from 11 different countries are presented through various analyses including mathematical modeling, epidemiologic studies, qualitative research, cost-effectiveness assessments, and policy evaluations.
This special JAIDS issue is available online free of charge as of March 3, 2015.
The guest editors of this special issue include Tisha Wheeler, Laurent Kapesa, Alison Surdo Cheng, and R. Cameron W from USAID's Office of HIV/AIDS in Washington D.C., alongside Dr. Stefan Baral from Johns Hopkins University.
The initiative is supported by USAID's West Africa Regional Office which aims to enhance social and economic well-being in partnership with West African entities across 21 countries.
For further information about USAID's efforts in West Africa or globally providing economic and humanitarian assistance in over 100 countries worldwide visit their website.