WHO: 5.2 Million People on AIDS Drugs in 2009

Globally, the number of people using lifesaving HIV drugs increased 12-fold between 2003 and 2010, and by 1.2 million just in the last year, officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) announced this week.

"We are very encouraged by this increase," said Gottfried Hirnschall, director of WHO's HIV/AIDS activities. "It is indeed the biggest increase that we have seen in any single year."

The most recent increase brings the total number of patients using HIV/AIDS drugs worldwide to a record 5.2 million.

"Five million people on treatment is a lot compared to where we started, but still a third of those who need treatment today," former President Bill Clinton said in a keynote speech at the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna.

Organizers are using the conference to highlight the problem of HIV in Eastern Europe, where injection drug use is a significant transmission route. Also, advocacy groups such as Doctors Without Borders are warning that funding constraints could jeopardize the momentum in the campaign against HIV. "We can't turn back now," said Tido von Schoen-Angerer, who leads DWB's campaign to expand access to essential medicines.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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