A recent study revealed that the rate of stigma and discrimination directed at individuals living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Mozambique has decreased to less than half since 2013. However, stigma still impacts 21% of the total, according to recently released data.

The Stigma and Discrimination Index for People Living with HIV and Key Populations was conducted in 2025 in the city of Maputo and six provinces of the country. Although still preliminary, the study compares current results with the 51% recorded twelve years ago. The findings were presented in Maputo.

Adelino Mechico, an activist, emphasized the continuous need for awareness and sensitization campaigns to combat discrimination. The study covered the capital and the provinces of Maputo, Gaza, Sofala, Zambézia, Nampula, and Cabo Delgado, analyzing the experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS.

According to the Mozambican Ministry of Health, which organized the event, the study's future recommendations will serve to strengthen the national response to HIV. Mechico mentioned that sectoral measures will be proposed with the aim of reducing the stigma and discrimination index to below 10%.

Furthermore, experiences related to access to health services, quality of care in health units, and clinical information management were examined, collecting participants' perceptions about the challenges faced when seeking assistance.

Mozambique has an estimated HIV prevalence of 11.6% among people aged 15 and over, a figure lower than the 12.4% identified in a community study conducted in 2021. Francisco Mbofana, executive secretary of the National Council for the Fight against HIV/AIDS, detailed these numbers during the ceremony.

2025 projections indicate that about 2.5 million people in the country live with HIV. Of these, 87% know their serological status, 87% are in treatment, and 76% have achieved viral suppression. Mbofana stressed that combating stigma and discrimination is a crucial barrier, as its reduction encourages more people to get tested and maintain treatment.

The official also reported that Mozambique registered approximately 77 thousand new HIV infections in 2025, compared to about 160 thousand in 2010, although the number of new infections remains high, with the goal being to stop the transmission of the virus.

Mbofana pointed to the provinces of Zambézia, Maputo, Sofala, and Nampula as those with the highest number of affected people, clarifying that population size influences these data, even when prevalence is not the highest. He added that Gaza maintains the highest prevalence, at around 20%, while the city of Maputo registers approximately 16%.

Another national goal is to reach 95% of people living with HIV who know their serological status, emphasizing that early diagnosis, continuity of treatment, and viral suppression are essential to reduce new infections.

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