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Revised estimates show
over 33 million people worldwide living with HIV
A report released on 20 November by two United Nations agencies
puts the number of people living with HIV at about 33.2 million,
down from last year’s estimate of 39.5 million, attributing
the decrease to more accurate data collection and analysis.
The new data show that the global HIV prevalence, or the percentage
of people living with HIV, has leveled off and that the number
of new infections has also fallen, thanks in part to global HIV
programmes. In addition to the 33.2 million people estimated to
be living with HIV in 2007, 2.5 million people have become newly
infected and 2.1 million have died of AIDS.
The findings were presented by the Joint United Nations Programme
on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in
the report titled 2007 AIDS Epidemic Update.
“These improved data present us with a clearer picture of
the AIDS epidemic, one that reveals both challenges and opportunities”,
said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot.
“Unquestionably, we are beginning to see a return on investment
– new HIV infections and mortality are declining and the
prevalence of HIV is leveling. But with more than 6,800 new infections
and over 5,700 deaths each day due to AIDS we must expand our
efforts in order to significantly reduce the impact of AIDS worldwide”.
The findings also show that AIDS is among the leading causes of
death globally and remains the primary cause of death in Africa.
The two agencies cite an “intensive reassessment”
of the epidemic in India as the primary reason for the reduction
in global HIV prevalence figures in the past year. The revised
estimates for India, combined with important revisions of estimates
in five sub-Saharan African countries account for 70 per cent
of the reduction in HIV prevalence, as compared with 2006 estimates.
“Reliable public health data are the essential foundation
for an effective response to HIV/AIDS”, said WHO’s
HIV/AIDS Director Dr. Kevin De Cock.
(Sources: UN News Centre, UNAIDS Press release, 20 November 2007)
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