HIV is no longer a death sentence if you are able to receive treatment. However in many parts of the world this treatment is unavailable. To put things into context, globally there were 36.9 million people living with HIV in 2014 and over 2 million people died from HIV related diseases during that year. Sub Saharan Africa accounts for 66% of new infections of HIV globally. Worldwide HIV related illness are the number one killer of women of reproductive age and 62 per cent of new HIV infections amongst 15-19 year old’s were among females.
People who have not been diagnosed as HIV positive but still live with the disease as well as those who are not being treated with anti-retroviral drugs are extremely vulnerable to diseases such as malaria and TB. These types of diseases are likely to kill such people far quicker than people who have uncompromised immune systems. Without treatment HIV positive people will likely develop AIDS and die.
Progress
At the turn of the century, the UN decided upon 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) which would seek to address poverty in all its forms by 2015. The sixth goal sought to combat HIV, AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Whilst it is easy to be discouraged by the scale of the global HIV and AIDS crisis, there have been some encouraging steps that have been taken. For example since 2000 there has been a 35% decreases in the number of new HIV infections since 2000. There has also been a 42 per cent reduction in AIDS related deaths since they peaked in 2004. Antiretroviral treatments are now reaching far more people than ever before and treatment for HIV is effective wherever it is being delivered and people comply with the regimen.
Despite all the progress, we cannot afford to be complacent. There still remains a massive treatment gap. Of the total number of people globally that are HIV positive, just 41 per cent of adults and 32 per cent of children are in a position to receive treatment. The right to being healthy is not being realised for children and adults living with the virus and prevention services for HIV and other related diseases are inadequate everywhere.
Investment in health systems
It is essential that we strengthen health systems if we are to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic. With the help of Concern Worldwide, front of line health care is being built in the 22 countries where the agency operates. Concern is also working to help strengthen health systems and improve delivery, diagnosis and treatment. Concern seeks to empower communities and provide them with the education and resources that will enable them to get earlier testing and better prevention.
