WORLD AIDS DAY : Latest data on HIV-AIDS

Today and every December 1 is World AIDS day. Let us remember our brethren who are suffering from this disease and pray that there are developments for the cure of this dreaded disease.

“The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is Universal Access and Human Rights. For me, that means doing everything we can to support countries to reach their universal access goals for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support - all the while protecting and promoting human rights.” - UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé 2009 World AIDS Day message

GOALS ----- The 2006 a Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS was adopted unanimously by UN Member . It provides a strong mandate to help towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It also reaffirms the 2001 Declaration of Commitment and the Millennium Development Goals, in particular the goal to halt and begin to reverse the spread of AIDS by 2015.

Today according to the website of the UN-AIDS there are 33.4 million people living with HIV virus!

Latest data, 2008 (Source of Data: UN-AIDS)

Number of people living with HIV in 2008

Total 33.4 million

Adults 31.3 million

Women 15.7 million

Children under 15 years 2.1 million

People newly infected with HIV in 2008

Total 2.7 million

Adults 2.3 million

Children under 15 years 430 000

AIDS-related deaths in 2008

Total 2.0 million

Adults 1.7 million

Children under 15 years 280, 000

Important Finding:

Asia is the second highest number of AIDS related death and new cases. Sub-Saharan Africa is still the number area with the most casualty of death and new transmission among all age group and by gender. It is projected that Asia will continue to be a high source of AIDS cases.