UNAIDS report shows HIV infections down by 17%

24 November 2009

According to new data in the 2009 AIDS Epidemic Update, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years. Since 2001, when the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed, the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 15% lower, which is around 400,000 fewer infections in 2008. In East Asia, new HIV infections declined by nearly 25% and in South and South-East Asia by 10% in the same time period. In Eastern Europe, after a dramatic increase in new infections among injecting drug users, the epidemic has leveled off considerably. However, in some countries there are signs that new HIV infections are rising again.

International Development Minister, Mike Foster, said:

"There are still challenges ahead in the fight against HIV and AIDS, but these figures show we're making significant progress.  Now we must build on this by ensuring that our funding continues to deliver results.  

"The UK will continue to call for the pharmaceutical industry to work with UNITAID on proposals for a patent pool to develop affordable HIV treatments, especially for children, so the world's poorest people can access them.  

"And, crucially, we will continue to focus on preventing new infections amongst those most at risk."

The report, released today by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights that beyond the peak and natural course of the epidemic, HIV prevention programmes are making a difference.

Data from the AIDS Epidemic Update also show that at 33.4 million, there are more people living with HIV than ever before as people are living longer due to the beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapy and population growth. However the number of AIDS-related deaths has declined by over 10% over the past five years as more people gained access to the life saving treatment. UNAIDS and WHO estimate that since the availability of effective treatment in 1996, some 2.9 million lives have been saved.