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| 'More people surviving' with HIV | 'More people surviving' with HIV |
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| Thanks to greater access to powerful drugs the HIV death toll has dropped by a tenth and more people are surviving with the virus, latest figures show. | Thanks to greater access to powerful drugs the HIV death toll has dropped by a tenth and more people are surviving with the virus, latest figures show. |
| The World Health Organization and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says an estimated 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. | The World Health Organization and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says an estimated 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. |
| That figure is up from 33 million in 2007 as fewer are dying with HIV. | That figure is up from 33 million in 2007 as fewer are dying with HIV. |
| Experts say the explanation is the wider availability of antiretroviral drugs, alongside population growth. | Experts say the explanation is the wider availability of antiretroviral drugs, alongside population growth. |
| We cannot let this momentum wane. Now is the time to redouble our efforts, and save many more lives Dr Margaret ChanWorld Health Organization director-general | |
| UNAIDS and WHO estimate the number of AIDS-related deaths has declined by over 10% over the past five years as more people gained to access to the life saving treatment | UNAIDS and WHO estimate the number of AIDS-related deaths has declined by over 10% over the past five years as more people gained to access to the life saving treatment |
| They say that since the availability of effective treatment in 1996, some 2.9 million lives have been saved. | They say that since the availability of effective treatment in 1996, some 2.9 million lives have been saved. |
| The latest report also suggests that HIV prevention programmes have had a significant impact. | |
| It says new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years. | |
| In sub-Saharan Africa, the epicentre of the global pandemic, the number of new infections has fallen by around 15% since 2001 - equating to about 400,000 fewer infections in 2008 alone. | |
| Director-General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan said: "International and national investment in HIV treatment scale-up has yielded concrete and measurable results. | Director-General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan said: "International and national investment in HIV treatment scale-up has yielded concrete and measurable results. |
| "We cannot let this momentum wane. Now is the time to redouble our efforts, and save many more lives." | "We cannot let this momentum wane. Now is the time to redouble our efforts, and save many more lives." |
| Child infections | |
| Antiretroviral therapy has also made a significant impact in preventing new infections in children as more HIV-positive mothers gain access to treatment preventing them from transmitting the virus to their children. | |
| Around 200,000 new infections among children have been prevented since 2001. | |
| In Botswana, where treatment coverage is 80%, Aids-related deaths have fallen by over 50% over the past five years and the number of children newly orphaned is also coming down as parents are living longer. | In Botswana, where treatment coverage is 80%, Aids-related deaths have fallen by over 50% over the past five years and the number of children newly orphaned is also coming down as parents are living longer. |
| According to new data in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years globally. | According to new data in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update, new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years globally. |