Working Toward Prevention

"Of the estimated 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the world, almost three quarters live in Eastern and Southern Africa."  This is a staggering statistic.  Combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the United Nations (UN) has made great strides in places like Botswana where mother-to-child infections have been reduced from 40% to 4% in just four years.  But in regions of Eastern and Southern Africa, lack of proper medical care combined with impoverished communities have stalled efforts to prevent the transmission of the HIV/AIDS virus.  Luckily, UN leaders and activists alike have already started taking crucial steps toward prevention.

Sheila Tlou, the Director of the Regional Support Team for the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) spoke at a conference in Geneva with words of encouragement for preventative care.  Focusing on behavioral change and mother-to-child transmission, the UNAIDS program will help expand anti-retroviral treatments to those who need it most.  Currently, of the 15 million HIV-infected individuals eligible for anti-retroviral treatment, only 4.2 million are receiving the care they need.  Tlou looks with optimism to areas in the Asian-Pacific where there has been a 20% reduction in new infections in the past ten years.

Efforts to prevent new infections and mother-to-child transmissions must start at the root.  As stressed by Tlou and the UNAIDS committee, behavior modification and crucial poverty reduction efforts are a necessity.  Education, proper medical treatments, and access to hygienic facilities are all steps toward preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the world's most impoverished communities.  Tlou states, "We have to now focus on making sure that we scale up voluntary medical male circumcision, behaviour change, and all those [interventions] to make sure that we reduce infections."  Although a mounting challenge, programs and successes such as these give millions living with HIV/AIDS the hope they need.

-Kenneth Louis

SOURCE: UN News Centre 

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day, and the UN has recently just issued a global report on the HIV epidemic. The 2010 UNAIDS report shows that since 1999 the overall HIV infection rate has declined almost 20 percent in 10 years. Much of that decline can be attributed to funding from donor nations, such as the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The program funds education about prevention, safe sex, and making condoms more available. Despite the progress, in 2009 more than 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV- with the biggest epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the most important components of tackling the AIDS epidemic is providing access to universal treatment. Today, more people than ever before are receiving antiretroviral therapy, which is an approach of treatment for infections of retroviruses, like AIDS. Typically, three or four medications are taken in combination to fight the disease. Although overall access for such treatment has increased, there are substantially greater gains in some regions than in others.

In 2009, nearly 37 percent of people eligible for treatment in sub-Saharan Africa were able to access life-saving medicines. In Central and South America the number is slightly higher with approximately 42% accessing such treatment. Antiretroviral therapy coverage for children is lower than that for adults, and a low percentage of pregnant women were able to receive therapy for their own health. In addition, many key populations at higher risk received very low coverage. Access to treatment needs to be made more available for all populations.

Investing for AIDS is an essential global responsibility. It improves the lives of people living with HIV and lowers future health costs associated with the disease. In 2009, international donors and governments provided $15.9 billion for the global AIDS response. This investment has resulted in more than 5 million people receiving life-saving treatment, basic education and health care access for millions of orphans, and more tolerant social environments due to campaigns that fight the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. Although there is still much more progress to be made, it is important to recognize what can be accomplished with the strong mobilization of the global community.

-Martina Georgieva

SOURCE: UNAIDS Global Report 2010

IMAGE SOURCE: http://arladii.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/aids-ribbon.jpg

Decline in New HIV Cases in Sub-Saharan Africa

A global decline in new HIV infections is lead by Sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNAids. This is due to greater awareness and better use of preventative measures. UNAids Executive Director, Michel Sidibe said, "for the first time change is happening at the heart of the epidemic. In places where HIV was stealing away dreams, we now have hope." Due to increases in worldwide treatment, 200,000 fewer people died from the virus in 2008 than in 2004. UNAids said "young people are leading the prevention revolution by choosing to have sex later, having fewer multiple partners and using condoms, resulting in significantly fewer new HIV infections in many countries highly affected by AIDS." Additionally, the report also said that the complete elimination of mother-to-child transmission is possible by 2015.

These statistics mark significant progress in the implementation of MDG #6, to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

SOURCE: UNAids Report

-Erica Stetz