UN Sees Global AIDS Epidemic Starting to Turn

Global HIV incidence fell 19 percent between 1999 and 2009, and the decline exceeded 25 percent in 33 countries, including 22 in sub-Saharan Africa, UNAIDS said in its annual AIDS Epidemic Update. At least 56 countries either have stabilized or significantly reduced HIV incidence, UNAIDS reported.

An estimated 33.3 million people worldwide have HIV, the agency said. In 2009, 5.2 million people with HIV in poorer countries were receiving treatment, or 36 percent of the 15 million developing-world citizens in need of antiretroviral therapy. An additional 1.2 million people began ARVs last year. However, for every person starting antiretroviral therapy, two people were newly infected with HIV.

"Just a few years ago, there were five new infections for every two people starting treatment," said Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS. "We are closing the gap between prevention and treatment."

The result was fewer AIDS-related deaths last year, about 1.3 million in sub-Saharan Africa, where 1.8 million people became newly infected with HIV. In addition, a trend analysis shows an overall decline in the percentage of people with more than one sexual partner in the last year in sub-Saharan Africa.

Last year, 370,000 mother-to-child HIV transmissions occurred, down 24 percent from five years ago, UNAIDS said. Rapid expansion of mother-to-child HIV prevention programs has been hindered by inadequate access to ante- and post-natal services, reported the agency.

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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