170. The fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic has been strengthened through free treatment with antiretroviral drugs since 1st January 2010. The government, with the support of the WHO and cooperation organizations, has taken a lot of measures to remove any bottlenecks in the distribution of pharmaceutical products to avoid shortages. The prevalence of HIV, according to the demographic and health survey (EDS-IV) was 1% in 2010 as against 1.9% in 2003. 171. Medical care for people living with HIV has been provided free of charge since January 2010 in 99 public and private health facilities in 13 regions. The number of sick people using antiretroviral drugs increased from 36 248 in 2011 to 38,790 in 2012. Among the sick people are 1,878 children and 36,912 adults including 25,705 women. The proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS admissible for ARV treatment and who were on ARV in 2012 according to the annual SP/CNLS and CMLS/Health Report was 82.46% as against 78.99% in 2011. The contribution of the communities to ARV therapy was 7598 patients, or 19.59. % out of all the patients on ARV treatment in 2012. This contribution is far greater in the Centre region where the rate stands at 13.50%. 172. The results obtained in 2012, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare and National Solidarity are as follows : In the area of care for persons living with HIV (PLWHA): - 44,579 PLWHA out of which 31,854 women received psycho-social and spiritual care; - 1756 PLWHA out of which 1264 women received food and clothing support. In the area of care for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), - 34,942 OVCs were registered out of which 18,208 girls were provided with assistance in the area of family support for OVCs ; 1182 new birth certificates were issued ; 1700 OVCs of which 100 new cases were sent to learn apprenticeships in workshops ; 24,802 OVCs were registered and sent for apprenticeships out of which 1582 new OVCs received home visits (VAD) and school visits (VAE) ; 100,663 OVCs out of which 4,900 new cases were reached through conversational group sessions and the Thursday club; 11,985 OVCs out of which 1882 new cases received food support ; 15 OVCs received legal assistance ; 325 OVCs received community meals. 173. According to the 2013 health sector review, the number of HIV expectant women who received full prophylactic ARV drugs for PMTCT in 2012 was 2556 out of 2754 pregnant women found to be HIV-positive who gave birth in a health facility, representing a 92.8% coverage of ARV for PMTCT. In the absence of the 2012 data, according to the EDS IV, the HIV prevalence was 1% in 2010 among the overall population as against 1.9% in 2003 (EDSIII). Thus, a drop was noted in the prevalence rate over the period. The sero-surveillance in the sentinel sites, the overall HIV prevalence among the 19-49-year age bracket was 1.7% in 2011 as against 1.6% in 2010. Among people within the 15-24 year age bracket, the prevalence rate was 0.7% just as in 2010. A list of essential generic drugs is defined every year for every level of care according to the national health system. The prices of EGD are determined every year by decree from the Minister of Health. 44