A new analysis of the health outcomes of 12,987 people with COVID-19 in Western Cape, South Africa, indicates that people living with HIV and people with past or current tuberculosis infections have a two- to three-times greater risk of dying of COVID-19.
Health GAP have reported that the fragile gains communities across sub-Saharan Africa have made in securing HIV treatment and prevention scale up are at risk of rapidly unravelling as an effect of COVID-19.
“Activists have made repeated demands to national governments, PEPFAR and the Global Fund to prevent a roll back of gains made in response to HIV and TB during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring multi-month refills of antiretrovirals for adults and children; promoting, protecting, and defending human rights amidst severe limits on people’s movement; equipping front-line healthcare workers with proper personal protective equipment (PPE); and increasing funding for treatment and prevention programs. But many countries have been unwilling to safeguard the needs of people with HIV and tuberculosis, with dire effects.”
NSWP’s COVID-19 Impact Survey is currently collecting responses and sex workers globally are reporting reduced access to HIV treatments.
You can read the full report from Western Cape Government here or visit the Health GAP website to read their article.