AIDS deaths almost halved since 2005

The scales have tipped in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with more than half of people infected with HIV getting treatment and AIDS-related deaths almost halving since 2005.

The scales have tipped in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with more than half of people infected with HIV getting treatment and AIDS-related deaths almost halving since 2005.

In its latest report on the pandemic, which has killed 35million people since the 1980s, the Unaids agency said there were particularly encouraging signs in Africa, a continent ravaged by the disease.

Eastern and southern Africa are leading the way, reducing new HIV infections by nearly 30% since 2010. Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zimbabwe have gone further, cutting new HIV infections by 40% or more since 2010.

Among the most significant effects of a vast increase in HIV testing, treatment and prevention programmes, has been the reduction of AIDS-related deaths, which have dropped by almost half since 2005.

As a result, more people in what had been some of the worst-affected countries, are now living longer. In eastern and southern Africa, for example, average life expectancy increased by nearly 10 years from 2006 to 2016.

“Communities and families are thriving as AIDS is being pushed back,” said Unaids executive director Michel Sidibé. “As we bring the epidemic under control, health outcomes are improving and nations are becoming stronger.”

The report warned, however, that not all regions were making progress. In the Middle East and North Africa, and in eastern Europe and central Asia, AIDSrelated deaths had risen by 48% and 38% respectively, it said, mostly due to HIV-positive patients not getting access to treatment. Exceptions within these regions showed that “when concerted efforts are made, results happen”, the report said.

It noted that Algeria had increased HIV/AIDS treatment access to 76% in 2016 from 24% in 2010, Morocco to 48% in 2016 from 16% in 2010 and Belarus to 45% from 29%.

Globally in 2016, 19.5-million of the 36.7-million people with HIV had access to treatment and AIDS-related deaths fell 1-million from 1.9-million 2005, Unaids said.

Provided that efforts continued, this put the world on track to reach the global target of 30-million people on treatment by 2020, it said.

“We met the 2015 target of 15-million people on treatment and we are on track to double that number to 30-million and meet the 2020 target,” said Sidibé. “We will continue to scale up to reach everyone in need ... leaving no one behind.” to in

AS WE BRING THE EPIDEMIC UNDER CONTROL … NATIONS ARE BECOMING STRONGER