<i>'Highest fall in HIV infections since 1997'</i>

22 November 2011, 18:00 PM

Hasan Jahid Tusher

New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have fallen globally to the lowest levels since the peak of the epidemic in 1997, a new report shows. It says fresh HIV infections have been decreased by 21 percent and AIDS-related deaths by 10 percent between 2009 and 2010 since 1997. The report, which was published by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on Monday, calls 2011 a game-changing year for the AIDS response with unprecedented progress in science, political, leadership, and results. UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe disclosed the figures at a high-level international conference, "Health.Right.Now! HIV Prevention without Barriers", in Berlin, Germany. German high officials and experts from the USA, the UK, Belgium, Ukraine, Brazil, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Poland, South Africa, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Kenya, WHO, and Unesco attended the event. The experts said people with HIV were living longer now and AIDS-related deaths were declining for the lifesaving effects of anti-retroviral therapy. An estimated 2.5 millions deaths have been averted in low- and middle-income countries for increased access to HIV treatment since 1995, they said. Michel Sidibe said, "We have seen a massive scale up in access to HIV treatment, which has had a dramatic effect on the lives of people everywhere". Declines in new HIV infections are being spurred by changes in sexual behaviour, particularly in young people, who are reducing number of their sexual partners, increasing condom use, and waiting longer before becoming sexually active. According to the report, the number of new infections has significantly fallen or stabilised in most parts of the world. In South and South-East Asia, it has dropped by more than 40 percent and in Sub-Saharan Africa by more than 26 between 2006 and 2010. The new infections, however, continue to rise in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and North Africa. For rapid reduction in new infections, the 2011 UNAIDS report underscores shared responsibility. Michel Sidibé said, "Only together can we achieve the vision of a world free of new infections, without discrimination, and without deaths". The UN organisation has urged the international community to help increase in funding, as donation has been reduced by 10 percent to US$6.9 billion in 2010 from US$7.6 billion in 2010. Assuring to continue financial supports to fight AIDS, Germany's Federal Development Minister Dirk Niebel said, “Education as a 'social vaccine' for us is a central prerequisite for prevention. Young people need to learn how to protect themselves and others from HIV”. Federal Health Minister Daniel Bahr said, “AIDS can be defeated...if we work together, human rights are respected, and affected people are not excluded. For this purpose, we all have a shared responsibility. Each and every individual can do something for this". Germany is among the largest donors of funds for the global response to HIV with an averaged 500 million euros a year for the global fight against HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis since 2008.