As we commemorate the 35 million people who are estimated to havehave died of HIV/AIDS and the 36.7 million that are currently living with thevirus, we must acknowledge the many unsung heroes, especially in developing
countries, who continue to work tirelessly, some on a volunteering basis, to
reduce the spread of the pandemic and provide care and hope for those living
with the virus.
We have certainly made great
strides since the virus came to global prominence in the 1980’s, although its
history dates back almost 100 years.
According to the World HealthOrganization (WHO), 1.1 million people died of HIV related illnesses in 2015,
compared to 1.5 million in 2010. The antiretroviral therapy (ARV) has
undoubtedly played a role in reducing the number of people dying from of HIV/AIDS
related diseases. ARVs enable those infected to live a relatively healthy and
productive life.
The number of those getting
infected each year is also on the decline. In 2015, 2.1 million infections were
recorded, a drop of 1.1 million from the 3.2 million infections recorded in
2010. The number is expected to decrease even further over the next 4 years to
500 000 by 2020. This is indicative of successful interventions, such as effective
awareness campaigns encouraging safe sex, increased condom use and sticking to
one sexual partner at a time.
However, while we are making progress
in some parts of the world, other parts
are witnessing an increase, such as Eastern Europe and Central Asia which have
recorded a 57% increase over the past five years.
We obviously still have a long
way to go, as it is estimated that 10.9 million people worldwide are unaware of
their HIV status and are continuing to spread the virus. It is also estimated
that 12.7 million who are aware of their status are not accessing treatment.
More awareness therefore needs to
be done to encourage people to go for testing and access treatment to improve
their quality of life.
Photo source: screwlife.com
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