Great successes in the fight against AIDS

Number of new HIV infections worldwide drops to 2.1 million

07/17/2014

Great progress in the fight against the immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS: According to the United Nations (UN), the number of new HIV infections worldwide in 2013 had fallen to an estimated 2.1 million - compared to 3.4 million in 2001. According to him, the eradication of the disease is generally possible, but the supply of particularly vulnerable groups would have to be further improved.

„An end to the epidemic is possible "
Fewer and fewer people are becoming infected with the world „Human immunodeficiency virus“ (HI virus), the trigger of the immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS („Acquired Immune Deficienay Syndrome“). While 2001 still 3.4 million new infections were recorded, the number was reduced last year, according to the United Nations to an estimated 2.1 million. A reason for hope, because „An end to this epidemic is possible, "says UNAIDS Director Michel Sidibé - but only on condition that risk groups are better cared for. „There will be no end to AIDS without putting people first and without ensuring that people living with and affected by the disease are part of a new movement“, admonishes Sidibé. „Without a people-centered approach, we will not move further towards the post-2015 era.“

In 2013, 1.5 million people died of AIDS
According to the latest annual report of the UN AIDS Program (UNAIDS), about 1.5 million people died of AIDS in 2013. A shockingly high number, but this has already been significantly reduced since 2005, because at that time there had been a total of 35% more fatalities. However, this number could continue to fall in the next few years, because it has been in the recent past great success in the prevention of new infections, especially among the children. Thus, in 2002, 580,000 children were infected with the dangerous HIV virus, whereas in 2013 „only“ about 240,000 children were affected.

Fewer children infected by improved access to medicines
The decline in the number of new infections was mainly due to better care, such as better access to antiretroviral drugs for HIV-infected pregnant women in African countries such as Malawi, Namibia and Ghana. According to the UN report, since 2009 around 900,000 children worldwide could have been protected from infection by the infected mother. Another step forward in the fight against the malignant disease is the treatment of those affected, as around 2.5 million more people were on antiretroviral drugs worldwide in 2013 than a year before (2013: just under 13 million, 2012: 10, 6 million).

Only 19 million sufferers even know about their HIV infection
Despite all the successes, there are still too many people who have no access to life-saving medicines or therapeutic measures. Especially in conflict regions and areas with a lower rate of HIV infection in poorer countries, according to Jennifer Cohen of Doctors Without Borders, this problem still affects more than half of infected people. Another problem is ignorance, because of the approximately 35 million people affected, according to the UN, only 19 million would even know about their HIV infection.

Drug users and prostitutes particularly at risk
There are still certain areas or groups of people that are affected by the „Scourge HIV“ In particular, nearly 25 million infected people would continue to live by far the most affected in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, of the 12.7 million drug users worldwide, 13% are HIV-positive, as well as prostitutes have a 13.5 times higher risk of infection than other women in the age group 15 to 49 years. Here, according to Sidibédringender action is required: „Whether you live or die should not depend on access to an HIV test, "said the UNAIDS Director. „A wiser shift in the situation is needed to bridge the gap between people who know their HIV status and those who are ignorant, people who can afford services and people who have been denied them, and those who are protected and those who are punished to be able to close. "