Stigma and discrimination: Barrier for ending AIDS by 2030 and achieving the 90-90-90 targets by 2020

Abstract

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV-AIDS (UNAIDS) put forward an ambitious vision of  “three zero” which consisted of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. In other words, it is envisaged there will be no new HIV infections, no more discrimination towards people living with HIV and no more AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS also set the target of  “ending AIDS” as a public health threat by 2030. In order to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, in 2014 UNAIDS established a fast tract strategy namely "90-90-90" which means by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will achieve viral suppression. If this target of "90-90-90" is achieved, it is estimated that by 2020 at least 73% of all people living with HIV worldwide will experience viral suppression; further modeling suggests that if this target is achieved this will bring about the “end of AIDS” by 2030.