HIV/AIDS – is the epidemic starting to beat a retreat?

[10 January 2011 - 16h53]

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is becoming static or even diminishing. The number of patients newly infected by the virus is on the decrease. As is the number of deaths.

According to the latest UNAIDS report, in 2009 the number of new infections was estimated at 2.6 million. A figure 20% lower than that of 1999.

Sub-Saharan Africa still remains the region most affected. It alone accounts for around 70% of all new infections. However, in 15 of the most hard hit countries, the level of HIV has fallen by over 25% thanks to the adoption of safer sexual behaviour. For example, the availability and use of condoms has significantly increased. The total number of sufferers under treatment has been increased 7-fold over the last five years and 5 million two hundred thousand patients were able to access drugs in 2009, compared with only 700,000 in 2004.

UNAIDS estimates that in 2009, 15.9 billion dollars were available for the global fight against AIDS. This is 10 billion less than anticipated. The authors of the report therefore see it as urgent to “perpetuate and extend good investment and for countries to share the financial burden of the epidemic. Many countries do not invest sufficiently and need to increase their financial commitment and extend their counter-attack against HIV/AIDS.”

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