Sweden first country to achieve 90-90-90

Sweden has become the first country to achieve UNAID’s ambitious 90-90-90 targets it was announced in the the journal HIV Medicine

 

14/09/2016 · by Tom Hayes

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Back in October 2014 UNAIDS and the WHO (World Health Organisation) set an ambitious set of goals for tackling HIV in the 21st century. The goal is for 90% of people with HIV to be diagnosed, 90% of those to be linked into ongoing care, and 90% of those to be on treatment and undetectable by 2020.

By  the end of 201 investigators said that 90% of HIV cases in Sweden were diagnosed, 99.8% of patients were linked to care and 95% of patients had been taking antiretrovirals for at least six months and had an undetectable viral load. The investigators said “We believe that Sweden is the first country to achieve the UNAIDS/WHO 90-90-90 goal”.

There are a number of reasons that Sweden achieved the 90-90-90 target so quickly. Firstly Sweden has a relatively small HIV population, 6,946 cases compared to the UK’s estimated 103,700 cases. Secondly Sweden is a country with strong financial resources and comprehensive healthcare system both of which are well placed to provide free treatment to those who need it. Sweden also has strong legislation and national guidelines around reporting, care, and treatment of people living with HIV – including ART for everyone diagnosed with HIV, regardless of CD4 count or viral load.

National reporting in England currently puts us at  83-91-95 towards the UNAIDS/WHO 90-90-90 goals for 2020. We’re excellent at linkage to care, and at getting people onto treatment and virally suppressed, our challenge here in the diagnosing the those who don’t know they have HIV but don’t realise it.

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