Successes and Challenges of HIV/AIDS Program in Oman: 1984-2015

We sought to provide an epidemiological situation of HIV in Oman and assess the ongoing impact of the program established in 1987 using data collected from national health reports between 1984 and 2015. Since the report of the first AIDS case in Oman in 1984, the numbers have steadily increased. Eighty percent of the cases were reported between 1996 and 2015. By the end of 2015, there were 2879 people known to be living with HIV (PLHIV) giving a prevalence of < 1%. More males were affected than females (p < 0.001); 69.7% of affected males and 73.1% of females were aged 20-49 years. The highest HIV rate was in the Musandam governorate. Most (66.8%) new HIV infections were caused via unprotected sex, 8.3% from mother-to-child, 4.3% by intravenous drug abuse, 3.2% via blood transfusion, and 17.4% by unknown causes. PLHIV on antiretroviral drug therapy (ART) increased 57.0% by the end of 2015 (p < 0.0001). A 23.0% reduction in mortality due to HIV was noted (p < 0.0001). Maternal-to-child transmission per 100 000 live births were 11, 9, 17, 10, 6, and 4 from 2009 to 2014, respectively. In 2015, 67.6% of PLHIV knew their HIV status, 65.0% were on ART, and 48.0% achieved virological suppression. There is an urgent need to focus on the quality and coverage of treatment, as well as care and support to HIV patients with special attention to high-risk groups.