Faced with the numerous questions raised by current events surrounding the transmission of the AIDS virus, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene (MSHP) came out of its reserve to provide clarifications and reassure the population.
In a press release, the ministry recalls that AIDS is an infectious disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Transmission occurs mainly through sexual contact, through blood and from mother to child.
Senegal, underlines the MSHP, has a national program to fight HIV/AIDS coordinated by the National Council to Fight AIDS (CNLS). The national strategy is based on expanded access to means of prevention, notably the use of condoms, screening services and antiretroviral treatments.
According to the ministry, these efforts have made it possible to screen nearly 90% of people living with HIV who now know their serological status. Among them, 92% no longer transmit the virus thanks to effective treatment. New infections have thus decreased, while the quality of life of people living with HIV has significantly improved.
The MSHP reminds that screening is free, voluntary and confidential in public health structures as well as with partners. It also emphasizes the availability of effective and free treatment in hospitals and health centers in the country’s 14 regions. A person under treatment and with an undetectable viral load no longer transmits the virus, either to their partner or to their child in the event of pregnancy.
The ministry also wishes to reassure public opinion on the continuation of health protection measures, in collaboration with health, community and institutional stakeholders. He calls for restraint in order to avoid any stigmatization likely to compromise the continuity of care, particularly for children and adolescents living with HIV.
Finally, the MSHP reaffirms the commitment of health structures to guarantee quality care while respecting human dignity, confidentiality and ethics. He calls for collective responsibility and national solidarity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
For any information on screening or treatment, people can call the toll-free numbers 800 00 30 30 or 800 00 50 50 free of charge.
date: 2026-02-11 19:23:00