What's New

A child’s chance to survive and thrive is much greater in 2015 than it was when the global community committed to the MDGs in 2000. Data show significant progress in areas such as child survival, nutrition, motherto-child transmission of HIV and primary school enrolment, among others. These are impressive achievements, but they are only part of the story. This report also shows progress for the most vulnerable, proving that a more equitable world is within reach. But despite this progress, millions of the children in greatest need have been left behind – the most marginalized and vulnerable children whose future the MDGs were designed to safeguard.

- The potential of information and communication technologies to combat TB still remains largely untapped. - Many countries and partners have embarked on pilot projects to study how eHealth (electronic health) and mHealth (mobile health) can be used in the fight against TB. - WHO is in the process of collating evidence and aims to eventually develop policies to maximize the impact of these technologies for people with TB. - Support is needed to scale-up effective eHealth and mHealth approaches after evaluation.

This paper provides an overview of how current drug policies affect human development, including UNDP's mandate and activities. It highlights opportunities for UNDP to address the development dimensions of drug policy in its programme and policy support to UN Member States as guided by our 2014-2017 Strategic Plan. The paper also addresses potential avenues for UNDP to promote the development dimensions of drug policy in international norm setting fora, including the post-2015 agenda and the preparations for UNGASS 2016. Ultimately, its is hoped that the paper will be used by UNDP and other stakeholders to support policies and programmes that contribute to better coherence between drug control policies and practices and development goals.

380 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections were reported among Singapore residents[1] in the first 10 months (January – October) of 2015.  Of these, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has performed further analysis for 144 cases reported within the first 6 months (January – June) of 2015.

Recent estimates report that only 54% of people with HIV know their HIV status. In order to reach the UN 90–90–90 goals it is critical that HIV testing services be strategically expanded to diagnose as many people with HIV as early as possible. This fact sheet includes data on HIV testing services reported by countries to the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting (GARPR) (WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF) as of July 2015.

New Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services from WHO recommend standardized HIV testing strategies to correctly diagnose HIV infection.

New Consolidated guidelines on HIV testing services from the WHO recommend that lay providers who are trained can, using rapid diagnostic tests, independently conduct safe and effective HIV testing services.  

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in Myanmar is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs (PWID) and female sex workers (FSW). HIV prevalence in the adult population aged 15 years and older was estimated at 0.54% in 2014. But data from HIV Sentinel Sero-Surveillance (HSS) indicates higher prevalence in 2014 among key populations: FSW 6.3%, MSM 6.6% and PWID 23.1%. Compared to 2012 data, the prevalence has declined from 7.1% in FSW and 8.9% in MSM, but has increased from 18% in PWID. An estimated 9,000 new infections occurred in 2014. Most HIV and AIDS cases are reported from large urban areas, and from the north-eastern and northern areas of the country where injecting drug use is widespread. 

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) assigned its National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC) with the responsibility of leading the preparation and submission of the Nepal Country Progress Report 2014 in collaboration with technical partners and stakeholders for the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting (GARPR). In March 2015, the NCASC nominated the Strategic Information Technical Working Group as an Advisory Group (AG) for the preparation of the country progress report. At the same time, a Technical Working Team (TWT) was also formed with the responsibility of the actual preparation of the report. The road map for the Country AIDS Response Progress for the GARPR reporting was developed in consensus with the AG and TWT.

Timor-Leste is still a low HIV prevalence country, where HIV prevalence of general population is well below 1%, while it is lower than 5% in any of the key population, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, and injecting drug users. There are areas and groups where the HIV epidemic is “concentrated”, however. This status has been determined from surveillance information, an integrated bio-behavioral survey (IBBS) in key populations (2011) and HIV sentinel surveillance undertaken in 2010 and 2013.