The story so far
FOR those old enough to have been around and to have understood its implications on the social and global health scene, the past 30 years since the first diagnoses of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) on June 5, 1981 seem to have passed in the blink of an eye. But in that blink, the world has seen a second generation of children born for whom the threat of AIDS and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has always existed.
In its report released in advance of the United Nations General Assembly's three-day High Level Meeting on AIDS, which starts tomorrow, UNAIDS's "AIDS at 30: Nations at the crossroads" estimates that up to the end of last year, more than 34 million people are living with HIV, and nearly 30 million people have died of AIDS-related causes in the past 30 years. Although the global rate of new HIV infections has declined by nearly 25 per cent between 2001 and 2009, it remains high, with 7,000 people becoming infected every day -- that's nearly five people per minute.
Education and treatment have gone a long way in keeping HIV/AIDS in check, and removing the stigma encourages people to get tested and treated. More people are starting to adopt safer sexual behaviours and more are getting antiretroviral treatment, which can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus by 96 per cent. But even with the great increase of people (6.6 million) receiving antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries, there are still more than nine million eligible people waiting to get HIV treatment. And even then, the epidemic still "outpaces the response", with two new HIV infections for every person starting antiretroviral treatment. The challenge in this, the fourth decade of AIDS, will be to maintain the awareness and to ensure continued investment in making antiretroviral therapy available to the masses.
Education and treatment have gone a long way in keeping HIV/AIDS in check, and removing the stigma encourages people to get tested and treated. More people are starting to adopt safer sexual behaviours and more are getting antiretroviral treatment, which can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus by 96 per cent. But even with the great increase of people (6.6 million) receiving antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries, there are still more than nine million eligible people waiting to get HIV treatment. And even then, the epidemic still "outpaces the response", with two new HIV infections for every person starting antiretroviral treatment. The challenge in this, the fourth decade of AIDS, will be to maintain the awareness and to ensure continued investment in making antiretroviral therapy available to the masses.
In Malaysia, between 1986 and 2009, there were 87,710 HIV cases, 15,317 AIDS cases and 13,394 HIV/AIDS-related deaths. The greatest risk factor remains intravenous drug use (about 70 per cent), followed by heterosexual sex (about 20 per cent). Yet, how far have we come since 30 years ago? There are still attempts to control the open sale of condoms -- the most basic HIV prevention tool. Up to 2005, there were still suggestions to herd HIV-positive people into concentration camps. Government health clinics cannot provide family planning options to unmarried couples. And sexual reproductive health education is still not important enough to be included in the school curriculum.
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