MONROVIA, May 2 (LINA) -The Chairman of the National AIDS Commission (NAC), Dr. Ivan F. Camanor, is calling for increased political commitment, domestic resource mobilization, scale-up treatment and support services to curb the spread of HIV in the country.

 
Presenting Liberia’s HIV situation, Dr. Camanor said Liberia is still experiencing a low level generalized HIV epidemic with a prevalence of 1.9% in 2013 (LDHS 2013), indicating a slight increase from 1.5% in 2007.
 
In addition, he noted that significant geographic variations exist between urban and rural areas, between regions, and between counties.
 
“HIV prevalence in urban areas (Female-2.7% and Male-2.5%) is almost three times that in the rural areas (Female-1.0% and Male-0.7%). Greater Monrovia, where about 30% (1.2 million of 4.1million) of the population of Liberia lives, bears the greater burden of the epidemic (Female-3.0% and Male-3.4%) than any area in the country. Sexual transmission remains the primary mode of HIV transmission in Liberia,” he said.
 
However, a recent Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS) indicate a high HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (19.8%).
 
“Similarly, HIV prevalence is high among female sex worker (9.8%), uniform services (5.0%), people who use drugs (5%) and long distance traders (4.5%),” Dr. Camanor noted.
 
Speaking earlier, at the National AIDS Commission (NAC) Board of Directors Meeting held in the C. Cecil Dennis, Jr. Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia recently, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said: “I urge you all to commit yourselves to these ideals and collectively work together to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.
 
She emphasized the need for an environment that is free of stigma and discrimination in Liberia, adding that together we can end HIV in the post 2015 era; and the time to act is now, said an Executive Mansion release.
LINA GDJ/PTK