CELE MAI RECENTE STATISTICI O.N.U.SPUN CA EPIDEMIA SIDA INCEPE SA REGRESEZE. HIV epidemic ‘halted’, says UN
The virus is transmitted in blood
Dupa decenii in care a tot luat amploare si a facut milioane de victime, epidemia de HIV/SIDA a inceput sa dea inapoi, arata cele mai recente statistici ale programului ONU in domeniu.
Dar, desi epidemia e in declin, discriminarea si stigmatul asupra persoanelor infectate continua sa creeze mari probleme celor aproximativ 33 de milioane de purtatori ai virusului.
Anul trecut, au fost inregistrate 2,6 milioane de noi cazuri de infectare cu HIV, cu aproape 20% mai putin decat in perioada de varf a raspandirii bolii – anul 1999.
In anul 2009, au murit, din cauza unor boli asociate cu SIDA, 1,8 milioane de oameni, cu 3 milioane mai putin decat in 2004.
In 2004, doar 700.000 de cazuri au beneficiat de tratament cumedicamente anti-retrovirale; anul trecut, numarul a crescut la peste 5 milioane.
Africa sub-sahariana ramane zona cea mai afectata: aici apar cca. 705 dintre cazuri noi de infectie cu HIV. Totusi,rata de reinfectare mai ales in Africa de Sud, Zambia, Zimbabwe si Etiopia.
In schimb, in estul Europei si Asia Centrala, numarul cazurilor a crescut.
Desi, la nivel global, raspandirea infectiei si-a mai incetinit ritmul, boala face inca foarte multe victime, astfel incat imbunatatirea legislatiei, programele de protectie si cercetarile pentru descoperirea unor tratamente mai eficiente sunt la fel de necesare ca si pana acum.
Sursa: BBC si Descopera.ro
The number of new HIV infections and deaths from Aids are falling globally, according to new statistics from the UN’s programme on HIV/Aids.
There are now signs the epidemic is declining, it says, however, stigma and discrimination continue to cause problems for the estimated 33m people living with HIV.
Last year there were 2.6m new HIV infections.
This is down almost 20% since the peak of the Aids epidemic in 1999.
In 2009, 1.8m died from Aids-related illnesses, down from 2.1m in 2004.
Mixed progress
The report says rates of treatment using anti-retroviral drugs have risen from 700,000 in 2004 to over 5m people in 2009.
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the region most affected by the epidemic, with around 70% of all new HIV infections occurring here.
But infection rates are falling, particularly in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.

Michel Sidibe says the statistics show the spread of HIV has halted in some places
There is a mixed picture in other parts of the world.
Eastern Europe and central Asia show sharp rises in new infections and Aids-related deaths.
And the UN says bad laws and discrimination, particularly in respect to drug users and homosexuals, continue to hamper the fight against Aids.
„We are breaking the trajectory of the Aids epidemic with bold actions and smart choices,” said Mr Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAids.
„Investments in the Aids response are paying off, but gains are fragile – the challenge now is how we can all work to accelerate progress.”
Source:bbc.co.uk