According to a report by UNAIDS, last year 8 million people infected with HIV living in developing countries had access to antiretroviral drugs by the end of 2011. That is 1.4 million more than in 2010. But despite this spectacular increase, globally, 6.8 million people remain untreated.

The increase in the number of people with access to antiretroviral treatment has helped reduce the number of new infections”, UNAIDS explains. And the figures speak for themselves. According to the authors of the report, “since 2009, the number of new infections among children has fallen by 24%. Around 330,000 children were infected in 2011, which is around half the figure recorded in 2003, at the peak of the epidemic”. In general terms, worldwide 2.5 million people were infected with HIV in 2011, ie 100,000 fewer than in 2010.

Conquering AIDS

Better still, in 2010, at least 56 countries succeeded in stabilising or considerably reducing the rate of new HIV infections. For example, in 10 years, these have fallen by 20%. Young women between the ages of 15 and 24 remain the most vulnerable group, with 1.2 million newly infected in 2011. Today, in total, there are 34.2 million people globally living with HIV. And in 2011, around 1.7 million deaths were recorded.

It is essential that everyone, now and always, benefits from preventive treatment for HIV”, explained Michel Sidibié, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Together we will conquer AIDS. The question is not whether we will achieve this, but when we will achieve it”. On Sunday, the 19th international AIDS Conference will open in Washington and run to 27 July. We will be reporting on the key issues raised.

Source : UNAIDS, 18 July 2012

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