By Fred Ouma
AROUND the world, more than 6,800 people become infected with HIV every day, and more than 5,700 die from AIDS daily mostly because of inadequate access to HIV prevention and treatment services.
The joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2007 report estimates that 33.2 million people around the world are living with HIV. Of these, about 2.5 million people were infected in 2007.
According to the report, the total number of people living with HIV continues to increase because the world’s population is increasing and people with HIV are living longer.
However, the number of people newly- infected with HIV has dropped significantly in recent years around the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the report shows.
Experts suggest the decline reflects not only the result of HIV prevention campaigns, but the natural course of epidemics. “Epidemics have got curves. After making it to the peak, the decline is next,” said Wilford Kirungi, a senior epidemiologist with the Ministry of Health at the launch of the report in November 2007.
“We are seeing the beginnings of this epidemic turning around and showing an impact from all the investments that have been made,” Paul De Lay, the director of evidence, monitoring and policy for UNAIDS,” the report noted.
The most significant reason for the decline in new infections in the hardest-hit areas in sub-Saharan Africa was the increase in fidelity — more people were being faithful to one partner.
“Clearly, a reduction in the number of partners is a big factor in most of these countries,” said De Lay. Other factors, the report showed, were the consistent use of condoms among high-risk groups, such as sexworkers; and the treatment of other sexually- transmitted diseases, which can be a gateway for HIV to enter the body.
The report also cited studies showing the effectiveness of circumcision as a protective measure. “Circumcision definitely impacts the gender ratios, with the greater prevalence of HIV infections in younger women,” the report noted. In Africa, there were about 1.7 million new HIV infections in the sub-Saharan region in 2007.
This is is significantly lower than the 2001 estimate. Nonetheless, the region is still severely affected and is home to about 22.5 million people infected with HIV, representing 68% of the total global number.
About three-quarters of the deaths this year will occur in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said. In Uganda, as in other East Africa countries, adult HIV prevalence is either stable or has started to decline. While the latter trend is most evident in Kenya, in Uganda the trend slightly went up by 0.3% to 7.1% today, from 6.7 in 2005.
The rate had declined from 18% in 1992 to 6.8% in 2005. In comparison, Kenya’s prevalence has decreased from about 14% in the mid-1990s to 5% in 2006. The downward trend is also noticed in Tanzania, from 9.6% in 2001-2002 to 8.7% in 2003-2004 among women using antenatal service.
In Tanzania, a national population-based HIV survey in 2003-2004 found adult HIV prevalence of 7% in 2003-2004. The report notes that besides behavioural change, death of people infected with HIV several years ago has also contributed to the declines in prevalence.
Specialists hailed the drop as a possible historic shift brought about by increased investment in programmes designed to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
The Uganda AIDS Commission director, Dr. Apuuli Kihumuro, urgues while the figures appear to be improving, there is an urgent need for action and funds to ensure access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Uganda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to register a drop in national HIV prevalence.
This article was published in The New Vision on Monday June 1st 2008
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