A FIGHT ENGAGED FOR MORE THREE DECADES

The Republic of Congo faced the HIV epidemic as early as the 1980s. Since then, significant efforts have been made by health authorities, international partners, and community organizations to reduce the spread of the virus and improve care for people living with HIV. Today, the country has an estimated prevalence of 3.2%, which is relatively stable compared to some neighboring countries in the sub-region.

However, HIV remains a major public health issue, particularly in large urban centers like Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, where a significant proportion of diagnosed cases are concentrated.

YOU SIDE MORTAR CHRONIC HIV

One of the biggest transformations in recent years has undoubtedly been the expanded access to antiretroviral treatments.

Thanks to these medications, many HIV-positive Congolese can now lead active lives, work, start families and look to the future with greater peace of mind.

Health professionals are now emphasizing a fundamental message: a person living with HIV, who is properly treated and whose viral load is undetectable, does not transmit the virus to their sexual partner.

This scientific breakthrough has profoundly changed the perception of the disease and is an essential tool in the fight against fear and discrimination.

WOMEN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF THE HIV RESPONSE

As in many sub-Saharan African countries, women remain particularly vulnerable to HIV. Economic inequalities, gender-based violence, certain socio-cultural norms, and difficulties accessing information and health services all contribute to their increased vulnerability. In the Republic of Congo, women represent a significant proportion of people living with HIV. According to UNAIDS estimates and available national data, they are nearly twice as likely to be affected as men. At the regional level, this trend is even more pronounced.

In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls account for approximately 63% of new HIV infections. Each week, nearly 3,300 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 contract the virus, illustrating the deep gender inequalities that continue to fuel the epidemic. Young people are also a priority population for prevention programs.

Health professionals are concerned about the persistence of risky behaviors, a low perception of danger among some adolescents and young adults, and the spread of misinformation on social media, which can negatively influence preventive behaviors. In the Republic of Congo, available data confirm that adolescents and young adults are among the groups most at risk of infection. This situation underscores the importance of strengthening awareness campaigns in schools and universities, health centers, youth organizations, and online spaces. The goal is to improve knowledge about HIV, promote voluntary testing, combat stigma, and encourage the sustained adoption of preventive behaviors.

Thanks to these medications, many HIV-positive Congolese can now lead active lives, work, start families and look to the future with greater peace of mind.

Women also occupy a central place in the national HIV response. They account for 54% of AIDS-related deaths and constitute 70% of beneficiaries of prevention services, demonstrating both their vulnerability and their strategic role in public health interventions. This epidemiological reality has led health authorities and their partners to implement a specific targeting strategy. Women are not merely beneficiaries of health programs: when they have effective access to information, prevention services, testing, treatment, and the protection of their rights, they become essential agents of change within their families and communities.

Women remain at the heart of the response through prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), screening during pregnancy, women's empowerment, and the fight against gender-based violence (GBV). Young people represent a challenge for the future through sexual education, access to appropriate services, social media, prevention and promotion of condoms, and PrEP.

Thus, the fight against HIV in the Republic of Congo remains inextricably linked to reducing social and gender inequalities, empowering women, and strengthening adolescents' and young people's access to health services. Investing in these populations means addressing the main drivers of the epidemic and consolidating progress toward the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.

STIGMATIZATION, AN OBSTACLEALWAYS PRESENT

Despite awareness efforts, the way people living with HIV are perceived remains sometimes marked by prejudice and discrimination. This stigma continues to influence behavior, discouraging some people from getting tested or disclosing their HIV status, which is a major obstacle to early intervention and prevention. For AIDS advocacy groups, the challenge now extends beyond the purely medical dimension. The next decisive step will also be social and cultural, through a lasting shift in attitudes, the promotion of inclusion, and the protection of the rights of people living with HIV.

TOWARDS THE GOAL2030

Globally, the fight against HIV/AIDS is now part of a clear perspective: to end the epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

This objective, championed by the United Nations and key international health partners, is based on an integrated approach combining prevention, screening, treatment, and reducing inequalities in access to care. The Republic of Congo is part of this international movement to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, in line with global public health goals.

This commitment rests on several priorities, including strengthening differentiated screening, improving antiretroviral treatment coverage by integrating HIV prevention into primary healthcare, targeted prevention among the most vulnerable populations, and reducing inequalities in access to care. From this perspective, the fight against HIV is no longer limited to medical advances alone, but also extends to structural and social transformations essential for achieving sustainable control of the epidemic.

RAISING AWARENESS FORBETTER PROTECTION OF POPULATIONS

As part of its awareness and prevention mission, the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS) organized an open day in February 2026 dedicated to HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This initiative brought together program leaders, institutional partners, healthcare professionals, and community members around a common goal: to strengthen public awareness about the prevention, testing, and treatment of these diseases.

The event highlighted the essential role of the National AIDS Control Program (PNLS) in coordinating the national response to HIV/AIDS, while also fostering direct dialogue with communities. Through information sessions, discussions with experts, and screening activities, the day underscored the importance of collective action to combat sexually transmitted infections and reduce new infections. Beyond raising awareness, the event emphasized the need to combat stigma, promote access to care, and strengthen collaboration between institutions, technical partners, and communities. It demonstrates the ongoing commitment of public health stakeholders to making prevention, health education, and support for those affected sustainable priorities.

The implementation of innovations such as decentralized viral load testing, electronic health records, rapid diagnosis, digital patient monitoring, and community-based innovations like the mother mentor strategy will be a game-changer. The role of technical and financial partners such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO), and civil society organizations in the national response remains essential for sustaining these gains through investments in human resources, laboratories, medicines, information systems, and community organizations.

Despite national efforts for an optimal response, significant challenges persist such as sustainable financing, donor dependence, potential supply disruptions, retention of PLHIV on ARV treatment, unequal coverage across departments, and achieving the 95-95-95 targets.