AIDS, 500 new cases in Lazio each year: the’importance of testing

“Every year in the Lazio Region approx 500 people discover they have HIV and most of the newly reported diagnoses are in the 25-44 age group. The number of new diagnoses is declining slightly, but more effort is needed to reduce it further and faster. It is essential to increase awareness of the issue and the dissemination of tests that are completely free because, despite highly effective therapies, late diagnosis seems to be unfortunately on the rise”.

This was stated by the Lazio Region’s Councillor for Health and Social-Health Integration, Alessio D’Amato On the occasion of World AIDS Day. Lazio Region on the issue has implemented the National Plan of Interventions against HIV and AIDS and has also approved the document of ‘Reorganization of surveillance and care for HIV infection and AIDS’. INMI Spallanzani designated as regional reference center for HIV/AIDS infection.

Many sufferers unaware of the disease

“Unfortunately, there is a proportion of people who have acquired the infection and are unaware of it,” D’Amato concludes, “there is still a strong prejudice and poor perception of the risk. On World AIDS Day we need to revive the effort to raise awareness of the issue to combat a misconception that sees HIV as a distant or waning disease. Unfortunately, this is not the case; it is still a present and very dangerous disease.”.

Lazio is the region with the highest incidence of new diagnoses of HIV infection (7.5 per 100.000 residents), although in recent years the trend has been decreasing. The incidence in the city of Rome, although also decreasing, continues to be higher than in other areas of the region, and even in the most recent years it appears to be close to 10 new diagnoses per 100.000 population.