UN issues 'AIDS at 30' global report

Last Updated: Fri, 3 Jun 2011 22:33:00 +1000

The United Nations has issued a new report saying the response to the global HIV-AIDS epidemic has resulted in a significant fall in new infections.

The report, 'AIDS at 30: Nations at the crossroads', also says a record number of people now have access to treatment.

Issued as the world marks 30 years since the epidemic began, the report says an estimated 34 million people are living with HIV, and that some 30 million have died since the first AIDS case was reported on 5 June 1981.

World leaders will gather in New York on Monday to look at the way forward, even though the report says the response to the global HIV-AIDS epidemic has resulted in a significant fall in new infections.

The UNAIDS Asia Pacific acting director, Jane Wilson, has told Radio Australia's Asia Pacific program, governments have turned the epidemic around by providing quality services to populations most at risk.

Ms Wilson says Asia and the Pacific registered some of the best results in stopping new HIV infections, but the region remains extremely vulnerable.

She says Cambodia is one of only eight countries worldwide to have reached 80 per cent access to anti-retroviral therapies.

Other "success stories" include Thailand which has a coverage of 80 per cent for prevention of parent to child transmission services, and India has seen new infection rates fall by over 50 per cent.

However, Ms Wilson says the figures are very different for the Pacific region.

"We have between 2001 and 2009, from 28,000 people living with HIV to 57,000. So if you compare with Asia, these are not large numbers, but for the Pacific, these are very significant numbers," she said.

"And it can have a very major impact on their specific societies. It's a very diverse region.

"If you look overall, Papua New Guinea has the region's largest epidemic, with the prevalence rate of 0.9 per cent but that is gradually starting to level off, so there is some progress being made in the Pacific."

AIDS response

"We really need to make sure that programmes aimed at prevention and treatment are maintained, and that challenges for treatment are dealt with," said Ms Wilson.

"For example, some of the current free trade agreements being negotiated at present, really have tangible threats to accessible drugs, which would have an appalling effect on the region."

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidib also says access to treatment will be vital to the AIDS response in the future.

"We must invest in accelerating access and finding new treatment options. Antiretroviral therapy is a bigger game-changer than ever before-it not only stops people from dying, but also prevents transmission of HIV to women, men and children," he said.

Mr Sidib's comments follow results of a recent study which found that if people with HIV take anti-retroviral drugs correctly, they reduce their risk of infecting sexual partners by 96 per cent.

"Countries must use the best of what science can offer to stop new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths," said UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.

"We are at a turning point in the AIDS response. The goal towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support must become a reality by 2015."

HIV prevention efforts showing results

The report notes that new HIV infections worldwide fell by almost 25 per cent between 2001 and 2009.

The report also found that, broadly speaking, many more people are adopting safer sexual behaviors, reflecting the impact of HIV prevention and awareness efforts.

But it says young men are often more aware than young women, about methods to prevent infection, such as using condoms.

In recent years, the report tracks significant progress in preventing new HIV infections among children as increasing numbers of pregnant women living with HIV have gained access to antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding.

That helped reduce the number of new infections in children by 26 per cent between 2001 and 2009.

Challenges remain

The report says although more people are now able to access anti-retroviral drugs, millions are still unable to get the drugs they need, and that children are less likely to be receiving drugs than adults.

It also says around 7,000 new infections are still being recorded every day.

Infection rates are falling in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia, and also - to a lesser extent - in Latin American and the Caribbean.

However, infection rates are rising in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Worldwide, certain population sectors continue to be at greatest risk of infection, including men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers and their clients, and transgender people.

The report notes that these communities are also generally less able to access treatment in the event of infection, due to punitive and discriminatory laws, and stigma and discrimination.

The UN says it is also concerned by a drop-off in funding to fight HIV.

Between 2001-2009, low and middle-income countries increased their HIV response investment by nearly 10-fold, but international resources declined in 2010.

"I am worried that international investments are falling at a time when the AIDS response is delivering results for people," said Mr Sidib.

"If we do not invest now, we will have to pay several times more in the future."

UNAIDS says it will be short of an estimated $US6 billion by 2015 for prevention and treatment programs.

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