During his visit to Djibouti, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé met President Ismail Omar Guelleh to discuss the country’s ongoing response to the AIDS epidemic.
During his three-day visit, Mr Sidibé took part in an event held to mark the acceleration of a campaign to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He also participated in a round-table discussion to explore ways of securing sustainable financing for the country’s AIDS response.
There were around 9900 people living with HIV in Djibouti at the end of 2014 and HIV prevalence among adults aged 15–49 years old was 1.6%. Fewer than one in five has access to antiretroviral medicines.
“I profoundly thank UNAIDS and the Global Fund for opening funding opportunities for Djibouti so we can say today that we have the financial mechanisms to address important issues among vulnerable populations, migrants and people in transit.”
Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of Djibouti
“You have given us hope with all you have done in Djibouti. You have managed to completely change the face of the AIDS epidemic and now the elimination of mother-to child transmission is possible.”
Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director
