Global HIV/Aids rate shows no slow down
Mar 26, 2006
THE effect of HIV/AIDS shows no signs of abating despite the massive global effort to stem the disease, the 2005 AIDS Epidemic Update has revealed. The annual report released by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation says more people have been infec
By Richard Komakech
THE effect of HIV/AIDS shows no signs of abating despite the massive global effort to stem the disease, the 2005 AIDS Epidemic Update has revealed. The annual report released by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation says more people have been infected over the past year than ever before, and more people have died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2005.
The number of people living with HIV globally has reached its highest level with an estimated 40.3 million people, up from an estimated 37.5 million in 2003. More than three million people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2005; of these, more than 500,000 were children. According to the report, the steepest increases in HIV infections have occurred in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (25% increase to 1.6 million) and East Asia. But sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected globally– with 64% of new infections occurring here (over three million people).
“Sub-Saharan Africa remains hardest-hit, and is home to 25.8m people living with HIV, almost one million more than in 2003,†the report revealed.
The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world rose by five million while three million died of AIDS-related causes in 2005, more than 500,000 of them children under the age of 15.
The only hope is new evidence that adult HIV infection rates have decreased in certain countries and that changes in behaviour to prevent infection -such as increased use of condoms, delay of first sexual experience and fewer sexual partners -have played a key part in these declines.
Even the 3by5 initiative to cover three million people with anti-retroviral drugs by 2005 has fallen short. The World Health Organisation apologised for missing its target of getting this number on life saving drugs.
The report also indicates, however, that overall trends in HIV transmission are still increasing and that far greater HIV prevention efforts are needed to slow the epidemic.
In Uganda, changes in behaviour such as limiting the number of partners was cited for the drop in the national prevalence from 15% in the early 1990s to 7% in 2004-2005.
Uganda was also commended for access to treatment with more than one third of people in need receiving ARVs in mid-2005, the best coverage in sub-Saharan Africa with the possible exception of Botswana.
The report says availability of treatment and enhanced community outreach can lead to more openness about AIDS, which can help break down stigma and discrimination, citing Uganda that has progressed with 60,000, more than half of those living with the disease on ARVs. The country’s efforts on community outreach are also highlighted and credited for openness about the disease, which can help break down stigma and discrimination.
“In sub-Saharan Africa, a comprehensive prevention and treatment package would avert 55% of the new infections that otherwise could be expected to occur until 2020. Evidence and experience show that rapidly increasing the availability of antiretroviral therapy leads to greater uptake of HIV testing.
While the disease showed signs of decline in Kenya, Zimbabwe and the Caribbean, the UN warned that the drop might be attributed to the death rates outpacing infection rates as the epidemic matures.
“We are encouraged by the gains that have been made in some countries and by the fact that sustained HIV prevention programmes have played a key part in bringing down infections. But the reality is that the AIDS epidemic continues to outstrip global and national efforts to contain it,†said Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS executive Director, said at the launch of the report in India on November 21.
“It is clear that a rapid increase in the scale and scope of HIV prevention programmes is urgently needed. We must move from small projects with short-term horizons to long-term, comprehensive strategies,†he added.
Commenting on the potential enhanced impact of integrating prevention and treatment, the 2005 report emphasises that a comprehensive response to HIV and AIDS requires the simultaneous acceleration of treatment and prevention efforts with the ultimate goal of universal access to prevention, treatment and care.
The report notes that, without HIV prevention measures, about 35% of children born to HIV positive women will contract the virus. While mother-to-child transmission has been virtually eliminated from industrialised countries and service coverage is improving in many other places, it still falls far short in most of sub-Saharan Africa.
THE effect of HIV/AIDS shows no signs of abating despite the massive global effort to stem the disease, the 2005 AIDS Epidemic Update has revealed. The annual report released by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation says more people have been infected over the past year than ever before, and more people have died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2005.
The number of people living with HIV globally has reached its highest level with an estimated 40.3 million people, up from an estimated 37.5 million in 2003. More than three million people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2005; of these, more than 500,000 were children. According to the report, the steepest increases in HIV infections have occurred in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (25% increase to 1.6 million) and East Asia. But sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected globally– with 64% of new infections occurring here (over three million people).
“Sub-Saharan Africa remains hardest-hit, and is home to 25.8m people living with HIV, almost one million more than in 2003,†the report revealed.
The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the world rose by five million while three million died of AIDS-related causes in 2005, more than 500,000 of them children under the age of 15.
The only hope is new evidence that adult HIV infection rates have decreased in certain countries and that changes in behaviour to prevent infection -such as increased use of condoms, delay of first sexual experience and fewer sexual partners -have played a key part in these declines.
Even the 3by5 initiative to cover three million people with anti-retroviral drugs by 2005 has fallen short. The World Health Organisation apologised for missing its target of getting this number on life saving drugs.
The report also indicates, however, that overall trends in HIV transmission are still increasing and that far greater HIV prevention efforts are needed to slow the epidemic.
In Uganda, changes in behaviour such as limiting the number of partners was cited for the drop in the national prevalence from 15% in the early 1990s to 7% in 2004-2005.
Uganda was also commended for access to treatment with more than one third of people in need receiving ARVs in mid-2005, the best coverage in sub-Saharan Africa with the possible exception of Botswana.
The report says availability of treatment and enhanced community outreach can lead to more openness about AIDS, which can help break down stigma and discrimination, citing Uganda that has progressed with 60,000, more than half of those living with the disease on ARVs. The country’s efforts on community outreach are also highlighted and credited for openness about the disease, which can help break down stigma and discrimination.
“In sub-Saharan Africa, a comprehensive prevention and treatment package would avert 55% of the new infections that otherwise could be expected to occur until 2020. Evidence and experience show that rapidly increasing the availability of antiretroviral therapy leads to greater uptake of HIV testing.
While the disease showed signs of decline in Kenya, Zimbabwe and the Caribbean, the UN warned that the drop might be attributed to the death rates outpacing infection rates as the epidemic matures.
“We are encouraged by the gains that have been made in some countries and by the fact that sustained HIV prevention programmes have played a key part in bringing down infections. But the reality is that the AIDS epidemic continues to outstrip global and national efforts to contain it,†said Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS executive Director, said at the launch of the report in India on November 21.
“It is clear that a rapid increase in the scale and scope of HIV prevention programmes is urgently needed. We must move from small projects with short-term horizons to long-term, comprehensive strategies,†he added.
Commenting on the potential enhanced impact of integrating prevention and treatment, the 2005 report emphasises that a comprehensive response to HIV and AIDS requires the simultaneous acceleration of treatment and prevention efforts with the ultimate goal of universal access to prevention, treatment and care.
The report notes that, without HIV prevention measures, about 35% of children born to HIV positive women will contract the virus. While mother-to-child transmission has been virtually eliminated from industrialised countries and service coverage is improving in many other places, it still falls far short in most of sub-Saharan Africa.