Striking Drop in AIDS Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa

Over twenty of the most badly affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reported significant reductions in HIV infection rates between 2001 and 2009, according to a new report.

According to the report issued by the joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS; Geneva, Switzerland), countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Ethiopia are making significant progress towards the Millennium Development Goal 6 (MDG 6). Factors that have helped bring HIV infection rates down include more young people waiting longer before starting to engage in sexual activity; condom use has more than doubled among adults globally over the last five years; more people have fewer sexual partners; and common sense gradually taking the place of tradition. UNAIDS also stated that male circumcision reduced HIV infection rates among men by almost 60%, and that a microbicide initiated and controlled by women has also helped prevent HIV infection.

South Africa, in particular, is close to offering universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support, and has seen a 25% drop in new HIV infections among adults and young people. A record number of South African women now have access to treatment to prevent HIV transmission from mother to baby. Global investments for AIDS, however, were higher in 2008 than in 2009, when an estimated US$15.9 billion was made available for the global AIDS response. This figure still represents a shortfall of $10 billion less than current estimated needs. According to UNAIDS, national governments should ideally allocate between 0.5% and 3% of their government revenue on HIV, depending on the infection's prevalence of the nation; but although domestic investments have increased considerably over the last ten years, they alone will not be enough to meet all their resource requirements.

"To sustain the gains we are making, further investments in research and development are needed, not only for a small wealthy minority, but also focused to meet the needs of the majority,” said Michel Sidibé, executive director of UNAIDS. "At this turning point flat-lining or reductions in investments will set back the AIDS response and threaten the world's ability to reach MDG 6. Investing for AIDS is a shared responsibility between development partners and national governments.”

MDG 6 calls for the halting and reverse the global spread of HIV/AIDS, with emphasis on reduction of HIV prevalence among population aged 15-24 years, condom use, and comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS. A second target is to achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it, as well as increase the proportion of the population with advanced HIV infection who has access to antiretroviral drugs.

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