HIV in Burkina Faso

Current statistics are not available, however it is estimated that in 2017 there were between 72,000 - 120,000 people living in Burkina Faso with HIV with a prevalence rate of 0.8% between 15-49 year olds, however there has been a marked drop in AIDS-related deaths, a fall of 46% since 2010, after the government of Burkina Faso, with international donors and many non-governmental organizations, introduced and implemented programs to increase testing for the virus. Succesive reports from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on the HIV virus show a decline in HIV prevalence in the overall population of Burkina Faso over time, from 2.7% in 2003 to 1.0% in 2010 and then to 0.9% in late 2014. Since then the figures have largely stabilised.

The virus first surfaced in Burkina Faso in 1986 and today the most vulnerable groups include female sex workers (of whom 59% are infected in the capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou), truck drivers (approximately 13%) and prisoners (9%). Children in Burkina Faso become infected with AIDS for very much the same reasons as all children throughout the world, however certain cultural issues and practices has made the spread more endemic.

Firstly, a lack of education and awareness amongst parents and children is a major contributory factor, particularly street children who are out of education and often sexually exploited by infected adults, however most children are infected through their mother either during pregnancy or by breastfeeding. Burkina Faso has taken the problem seriously and has set up education programs for children raising awareness of HIV/AIDS issues. As one twelve year old stated "The earlier children are informed about HIV/AIDS, the better they will be saved from the damages of the disease ... There is a future awaiting us." The video documentary below explores HIV in Burkina Faso and the work being undertaken to address the situation.