Madagascar has recorded a 151% increase in new HIV infections since 2010, with treatment coverage at just 24% as of 2024. The HIV response was previously focused primarily on key populations, but warning signs emerged that the epidemic was increasingly affecting bridge populations and the wider community. Jude Padayachy, Secretary of State, Ministry of Health, Seychelles, and former UNAIDS Country Director for Madagascar, Seychelles, and Comoros, noted that the epidemic was no longer confined to traditionally defined key populations. In regions facing severe drought and extreme poverty, some young girls were exchanging unprotected sex for basic necessities.
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