A total of 354 people received an HIV diagnosis last year in the Valencian Community, and around 14.553 had a chronic infection. These figures place the regional rate at 6,99 cases per 100.000 inhabitants (one point below the national average): 6,7 in the province of Valencia; 6,2 in Alicante and 4,73 in Castellón. Behind the numbers, life stories.
The majority of new diagnoses in 2020 in the Valencian Community were men, in a ratio of 5 to 1 with respect to women. In men, the age group that concentrated the most cases was between 20 and 44 years, similar to the majority in women (25-49 years).
A total of 14.553 people live with HIV and receive antiretroviral treatments in the Valencian Community. In the case of Marina Alta, 351 patients are treated at the health department of Dénia. However, this does not imply that it is the exact figure. It is estimated that a large number of those affected receive medical follow-up in the Valencian capital or Alicante to promote their anonymity.
Regarding the route of transmission, unprotected sex between homosexual and bisexual men accounted for almost half of the cases. Transmission was heterosexual in 22,1% of cases.
World AIDS Day
On the occasion of World Day to Fight AIDS, which is commemorated every December 1, the Conselleria de Sanidad Universal y Salud Pública insists on the importance of early diagnosis not only to stop the destruction of the immune system of the affected person, but also also to avoid transmitting the virus to others. In this sense, antiretrovirals can make the viral load in the blood undetectable and the sexual fluids that until then were infectious stop being so.
«Nowadays, with the right treatments, HIV infection becomes chronic and the person can lead a life as normal as with any other health problem. That is why it is so important to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible and, to achieve this, we must overcome the social stigma that still makes people reluctant to get tested. We must also overcome other meaningless clichés such as that the disease has nothing to do with me, and that a single exposure to risk is enough for the infection to occur», explained the Minister of Universal Health and Public Health, Ana Barceló.
Anonymous attention at CIPS
The Valencian Community has AIDS Information and Prevention Centers (CIPS), one per province, where specialized professionals confidentially and anonymously inform anyone about everything they need to know about HIV infection, its prevention and transmission, as well as as with any other Sexually Transmitted Infection.
CIPS staff also indicate the preventive measures to be adopted to avoid HIV infection, as well as when to carry out the infection detection test if risky practices have been maintained. .
If the result reveals that infection has occurred, CIPS staff help the person cope and offer them access to the level of healthcare they require. They also provide information on available resources (health, social, legal, NGOs, etc.) and offer advice on how to avoid reinfection and the infection of other people.
Last year, the CIPS of the Valencian Community attended 16.956 consultations (a daily average of 46) between first visits, successive visits, telephone consultations and HIV tests, carried out by 12.110 people. Also in any health center, Family Medicine professionals can offer information, carry out the pertinent tests or refer the person to the most appropriate specific resource.
