El Salvador
With less than 1 percent of the adult population reported to be HIV-positive, El Salvador is a low HIV prevalence country, but the virus remains a significant threat in high-risk communities, such as commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men. Overall prevalence has increased since the first case was detected in 1984. Since that time, 18,282 HIV/AIDS cases have been reported in the country. Incidence appears to have declined since 2004, but there is a fear that because of the lack of an effective monitoring system, many HIV/AIDS cases are not reported (according to a UNAIDS May 2006 report, 40 to 50 percent of cases are under reported). Heterosexual sex is the main route of HIV transmission in El Salvador, accounting for 79 percent of HIV cases in the country. The epidemic is predominantly in urban areas and is becoming increasingly feminized as the percent of women with HIV rises.
Through USAID, El Salvador in fiscal year 2007 received $2.17 million for essential HIV/AIDS programs and services. USAID assistance also includes developing and training in new approaches and methodologies to reach the most-at-risk populations (MARPs); promoting condoms and increasing their availability to MARPs; producing, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, generic media campaigns to promote abstinence and partner reduction; and providing voluntary counseling and testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections to high-prevalence groups.
View the USAID HIV/AIDS Health Profile for El Salvador - September 2008 [PDF, 96KB]
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