Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


AIDS: Fewer People Being Infected, Fewer People Dying

   Joe DeCapua 23 November 2010

   A  new  report  from  UNAIDS  says  significant progress is being made
   against  HIV/AIDS  in sub-Saharan Africa.  The findings are contained
   in the 2010 report on the global AIDS epidemic.

   The  latest  report  shows  the  number  of  newly  infected people in
   sub-Saharan Africa fell in 2009 to about 1.8 million. That compares to
   around 2.2 million in 2001.

   It also says in 22 sub-Saharan countries, the number of new infections
   declined  by  more  than  25  percent  between  2001  and 2009.  This
   includes  four  of the five countries with the largest HIV epidemics â
   namely Ethiopia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

   Strategy working

   Paul  De  Lay,  UNAIDS  deputy  executive director, says, âThis report
   clearly  demonstrates  that  with  confidence  and  conviction we have
   broken  the  trajectory  of  the  AIDS  epidemic.   Fewer  people are
   becoming infected with HIV and fewer people are dying from AIDS.â

   Overall,  itâs  estimated  33-million people worldwide are living with
   HIV/AIDS â the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa.

   âNew  HIV  infections  have fallen by nearly 20 percent in the last 10
   years.   AIDS-related  deaths have fallen by nearly 20 percent in the
   last  five  years,â  says  De Lay, adding, âAt least 56 countries that
   have sufficient data for study have stabilized or significantly slowed
   down the rate of new HIV infections.â

   Nigeria is one of the countries where the HIV epidemic is now reported
   stabilized.  But De Lay warns all the news is not positive.

   âThere  are  some  regions,â he says, âwhere new HIV infections are on
   the  rise, especially in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.  The report
   also shows that there are epidemics occurring in sub-populations.  In
   particular,  there  is  a  resurgence of HIV in young men who have sex
   with men in North America and Western Europe.â

   Despite  that,  the  new  UNAIDS  report  shows that prevention can be
   successful.

   Behavior change and prevention

   Bernhard  Schwartlander,  director  of the agencyâs evidence, strategy
   and  results  department,  says,  âWe  have seen that in more and more
   countries  people  are  actually  adopting  safer  behaviors.   In 59
   countries,  for example, less than 25 percent of the men report having
   sex with more than one partner in the last 12 months, which clearly is
   a  positive  trend  that  can  be  linked  in many countries also with
   decreases in the number of new infections.â

   Success  can also be seen in preventing HIV transmission from infected
   mothers to their newborns.

   âFewer  children  are  being  born  with  HIV.   New infections among
   infants  have  dropped  by 24 percent in the last five years.  And in
   2009,  we estimate that this number stands at 370,000, which of course
   is still the target to be overcome,â he says.

   People  with  HIV/AIDS  are  also  living  longer  due  to the greater
   availability  of anti-retroviral drugs.  More than 5.2 million people
   in  developing  countries  are  receiving treatment.  However, UNAIDS
   estimates  there  are  10  million  people,  with  advanced  stages of
   HIV/AIDS, who still need access to treatment.

   Schwartlander says although it can be seen that investments are paying
   off, economic austerity is placing those gains in jeopardy.

   âFor  the  first time ever over the past decade or 20 years,â he says,
   âthe  resources available from international sources in 2009 were less
   than  the  resources  made  available from international donors in the
   previous  year  in  2008.   While  the difference is not dramatic, it
   clearly  indicates that thereâs a difference in the trend after having
   seen  significant  increases from year to year.  This doesnât seem to
   be the case anymore.â

   The  report  also  says  there  are  still  high  levels of stigma and
   discrimination   surrounding  the  disease  some  30  years  into  the
   epidemic.   For  example,  the report says in 79 countries and areas,
   same  sex  relationships are still criminalized.  Some countries even
   impose   the   death  penalty  for  those  convicted  of  having  such
   relationships.

   Whatâs  more,  UNAIDS  says  violence  against  women  and the fear of
   violence  block  many  women  from  having  access to HIV/AIDS related
   services.

.