The stats have now changed, there are now more than 6,800 new infections each day and 5,700 people die due to AIDS each day. Other positives are that 30 countries have conducted “national representative population-based household surveys, giving them a much better understanding of the epidemics of their countries and are helping neighboring countries too.

HIV prevalence among young pregnant women (15 – 24) attending antenatal clinics has
declined since 2000/2001 in 11 of the15 most-affected countries. Preliminary data also show
favourable changes in risk behaviour among young people in a number of countries,
(Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). These
trends suggest that prevention efforts are having an impact in several of the most affected
countries. Which is great news.

On the other hand the better reporting mostly in India (along with Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe) accounts for 70% of the reduction.

ActionAid have responded by saying “It is not the gap between old and new AIDS estimates that is the scandal but the gap between what is needed and what is being provided to save lives and prevent new infections”.

It’s interesting that Indonesia has the fastest growing epidemic and in Viet Nam number of people living with HIV doubled between 2000 and 2005.

The UN points out “that the new estimates do not change the need for
immediate action and increased funding to scale up towards universal access to HIV
prevention, treatment, care and support services.”

So the fight goes on…

To see more information and maps with statistics for the global regions go to http://www.unaids.org/en/HIV_data/2007EpiUpdate/default.asp