Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Surveillance data in Jimma zone, Southwest Ethiopia, 2021.

Background: Globally, about 37.6 million people were living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in 2020 and 54.78% of them were in Eastern and Southern Africa. In Ethiopia, 617,921 people were living with HIV in 2020. This study aimed to describe HIV incidence in the Jimma zone by person, time, and place. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was employed. Five-years HIV data from July 2016 to June 2021 were extracted from Jimma zone District Health Information Software 2. The collected data were checked for completeness and consistency. Data confidentiality was secured through data anonymity. The data were analyzed using Microsoft-excel and Arch GIS; and then presented using frequency tables, line graphs, bar charts, maps, and pie charts. Results: A total of 986,999 people tested for HIV and 1317 new HIV were reported from July 2016 to June 2021. About 851 (64.62%) and 466 (35.38%) of the newly diagnosed HIV cases were female and male respectively. The majority, (68.1%), of HIV cases, were among people in the 25−49 age group. The overall incidence rate of HIV was 7.7 per 100,000 population. The annual HIV incidence rates were 9.5, 8.8, 8.7, 5.1, and 6.5 per 100,000 population in 2016/2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. The positivity rate per 1000 population was high in Agaro town (7.28) and Goma district (3.50). About 1152 (87.47%) of newly identified HIV cases were started ART and 90.67% of them were virally suppressed in 2021. Conclusion and recommendation: We conclude that HIV still remains a public health concern in the Jimma zone and the burden varied by place, time, gender, and age. So, there is a need for HIV preventionon activities targeted at the female population. Efforts should also be made by Agaro town and the Goma district to scale up HIV sensitization and prevention programs.