Optimism over tackling HIV infection in Angola:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The rate of HIV infection in pregnant women in Angola has nearly halved, from an estimated 5.5% in 2002 to 2.8%, according to a recent study. The highest incidence rates are in the provinces bordering Namibia. Paradoxically, the civil war seems to have helped contain the spread of the disease, as people travelled less. Those monitoring the situation say that this is a window of opportunity to now challenge the spread of the epidemic. Angola suffers from a lack of laboratory support and technicians for diagnosing and treating the disease.