Report: 700 Moroccans died of AIDS in 2016

The Moroccan Health Ministry revealed yesterday that 700 people have died of AIDS in 2016.

In a statement the ministry said the latest estimates for 2016 showed that the prevalence of HIV among all Moroccans was as “low” as 0.1 per cent.

According to the ministry, 22,000 people live with HIV in the country while the number of new infections was 1,000.

It added that 150,000 pregnant women benefited from AIDS testing in 2016 compared to 43,000 in 2012, within the framework of a national programme to eliminate mother-to-child transmission.

The statement pointed out that the number of people at risk of HIV infection who benefited from prevention programmes rose from 100,000 in 2011 to 161,000 in 2016.

The ministry prepared the National AIDS Strategic Plan for 2017-2021.