by Louise Redvers, IRIN, Kenya – Rates of new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are rising faster in the Middle East and North Africa than anywhere else globally. As the world marks World AIDS Day, experts warn that cultural stigmatization and punitive legal regimes mean many patients are left in the shadows unable to access treatment and support, leading to unnecessary loss of life and increasing transmission risks.
According to the latest data available from the Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), there are 230,000 people living with HIV in the 21 countries that make up the organization’s definition of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
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