Daijiworld Media Network- Johannesburg

Johannesburg, May 7: A new study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity has raised red flags over the rising prevalence of HIV among adults aged 50 and above, even as global prevention campaigns remain largely focused on younger populations.

Researchers from Wits University, South Africa, revealed that HIV rates among older adults in Kenya and South Africa now match or exceed those in younger age groups. Yet, crucial prevention, testing, and treatment strategies fail to adequately include or address this aging demographic.

“We often think of HIV as a young person’s disease. That perception, along with youth-centric awareness campaigns, leaves older individuals dangerously overlooked,” said Dr. Luicer Olubayo from the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at Wits.

One troubling revelation: many older adults don’t believe they’re at risk of HIV, a misconception that hinders early diagnosis and undermines efforts to meet UNAIDS' 95-95-95 goals by 2030.

“Surveys and interventions ignore a crucial group, creating major blind spots in our fight against HIV,” noted Prof. F. Xavier Gomez-Olive from the MRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit.

Low testing rates among seniors, combined with stigma and mental health challenges, are compounding the crisis. The researchers urged tailored interventions such as repeated testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and targeted awareness campaigns to curb the surge.

The findings underscore an urgent call for public health systems to reframe HIV strategies—no longer viewing it as a youth-exclusive issue, but a lifespan challenge that demands inclusive action.