Progress in Aids epidemiological knowledge

Aids remains the first cause of death in Africa

publié en ligne : 21 novembre 2007

On the 21rst of November, UNAIDS, the United Nations Aids agency, will release publicly its 2007 Epidemiological Update report. This report mentions improvements in HIV epidemiological monitoring tools during the year 2007 in a large number of developing countries, thanks in particular to investments allowed by the Global Fund these last years. The number of people living with HIV is now estimated with a better accuracy : whereas a year ago the estimate ranged between 24 and 47 million, in 2007 it has now narrowed to 30-36 million.

What is changing ?

These new data indicate that the duration required to stop the pandemic is lower than what was commonly thought a year ago. Thus it is now conceivable to succeed in eradicating the pandemic, provided the international community mobilizes to provide adequate funding (0.05% of the gross domestic product of the 7 wealthiest countries).

According to UNAIDS, in 2007 approximately 33 million people may be infected with the Aids virus, with around 22 million in Africa. Aids may have killed about 2.1 million during the year, while the number of newly infected cases would be 2.5 million.

“As a person living with HIV, I am glad to learn that the number of people likely to die of Aids in the seven years to come is less than expected. However, what is of utmost importance now is the survival of the 33 million of people living with HIV today : when will the G8 keep its promise of universal access to treatment against Aids?” said Hugues Fischer, co-president of Act Up-Paris.

What remains still the same ?

95% of people infected today will die in the 7 years to come if they do not have access to an antiretroviral treatment. 5% of adult Africans are concerned. Less than a third of the people living with HIV who are at the Aids stage have a treatment at their disposal. Aids remains the first cause of mortality in Africa.

While sick people die, the virus keeps spreading, through lack of efficient promotion of condoms, and lack of protection against discrimination towards the populations who are the most vulnerable to HIV (women, homosexuals, transgender people, sex workers, drugs users ...).

Act Up-Paris reminds that on the 8th of June 2007, Nicolas Sarkozy committed himself to allowing universal access to Aids treatment before 2010 [1] and to doing more for the Global Fund [1]. However, his budget Minister suggested diminishing by 7% the 2008 French contribution to fund AIDS fighting [2], while the universal access for 2010 - reasserted by the President - requires tripling the resources during the 2007-2010 period.

Act Up-Paris expects Nicolas Sarkozy to make his strategy known to honour his commitments about universal access to Aids treatment during his meeting with the associations which is organised at the Elysée on the 28th of November.