Afghanistan

Key Results in 2022

More than 30 000 people reached with HIV prevention, testing and treatment services.
57 500 testing kits for Hepatitis B and C, HIV and syphilis procured and distributed.
Extension of revised National Strategic Plan (NSP IV) on HIV, STIs and Hepatitis to 2026.
Revision of National Guideline on Treatment of Hepatitis C and development of National Guideline on Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B.

Joint Programme Results

The Joint Team continued to support the Government and relevant stakeholders to improve HIV prevention, treatment, and care services coverage in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan; reduce the high community- and facility-based stigma and discrimination against people who inject drugs and people living with HIV and boost evidence and human rights-based services; and secure funding for the national HIV response.

For instance, HIV prevention, treatment, and care services supported by the Joint Team reached 7182 people who inject drugs, 12 587 people in prisons, and 1114 people living with HIV in eight provinces of Afghanistan. A total of 4650 people who inject drugs and 5204 prisoners also received HIV testing during this period (UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Joint Team procured and distributed 32 000 hepatitis B and C, 18 000 HIV, 7500 syphilis testing kits, and other HIV combination and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) medicines and consumables to drop-in-centres and voluntary counselling and testing service centres from 10 provinces to prevent stock outs (UNODC, WHO).

HIV incidence per 1000 uninfected populations

Source: AIDSinfo

AIDS mortality per 1000 population

Source: AIDSinfo

Progress towards 95-95-95 targets

Source: AIDSinfo

A series of workshops and trainings on the delivery of evidence-based, human rights-oriented, and gender-responsive HIV prevention and opioid agonist therapy services for women who use or inject drugs was conducted improving quality of services and reducing stigma and discrimination (UNODC).

To mitigate the impact of the humanitarian crisis, the Joint Team further procured and distributed hygiene kits to 3500 people who use or inject drugs; and basic social and various essential health services to more than 10 000 people who use drugs, their families, and children (UNODC). Bridge Hope and Health Organization—the only community-based organization in Afghanistan currently providing services — has improved governance though the establishment of a governing body, the revision of its administration, financial, and monitoring and evaluation policies, and the capacity building of staff on community-led programme monitoring and data collection, analysis, and use (UNDP, UNODC, UNAIDS Secretariat).

The Fifth National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and Hepatitis has been revised to include integration of HIV self-testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and antiretroviral treatment services and implementation of tailored HIV prevention programmes among people who inject drugs. The plan was also extended to the end of 2026. Further, to strengthen the national integrated response to HIV and hepatitis, the National Guideline on Treatment of Hepatitis C has been revised and a national guideline on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B was developed (UNDP, UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS Secretariat).