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The 2005 AIDS epidemic update report, released
by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World
Health Organization (WHO), claims that there is evidence for the first time
that prevention programmes initiated are finally helping to bring down HIV
prevalence in some countries, and Zimbabwe is one of the countries
mentioned. Specifically, the report says this of Zimbabwe:
"Recent data from the national surveillance system show a decline in HIV
prevalence among pregnant women from 26% in 2002 to 21% in 2004. Other data
indicate that the decline had already started in 2000 (Ministry for Health
and Child Welfare Zimbabwe, 2004 and 2005). Findings from local studies
reinforce the national evidence. In Harare, HIV prevalence in women
attending antenatal or postnatal clinics fell from 35% in 1999 to 21% in
2004. In rural eastern Zimbabwe, declines in HIV prevalence in pregnant
women were also reflected in declines among both men and women in the
general population (Mundandi et al., 2004). A significant decline in HIV
prevalence among pregnant young women (15–24 years)—which fell from 29% to
20% in 2000-2004—suggests that the rate of new HIV infections (incidence)
could be slowing, too (p.20)."
A press release issued with the November 21 report underscores evidence that
adult HIV infection rates have decreased in Kenya, Zimbabwe and several
Caribbean nations.
Overall adult infection rates have decreased in Kenya from a peak of 10% in
the late 1990s to 7% in 2003 and evidence of drops in HIV rates among
pregnant women in Zimbabwe from 26% in 2003 to 21% in 2004. In urban areas
of Burkina Faso prevalence among young pregnant women declined from around
4% in 2001 to just under 2% in 2003.
Despite decreases in the rate of infection in certain countries, the overall
number of people living with HIV has continued to increase in all regions of
the world except the Caribbean. There were an additional five million new
infections in 2005. The number of people living with HIV globally has
reached its highest level with an estimated 40.3 million people, up from an
estimated 37.5 million in 2003. More than three million people died of
AIDS-related illnesses in 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most
affected globally. “We are encouraged by the gains that have been made in
some countries and by the fact that sustained HIV prevention programmes have
played a key part in bringing down infections. But the reality is that the
AIDS epidemic continues to outstrip global and national efforts to contain
it,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot." “It is clear that a
rapid increase in the scale and scope of HIV prevention programmes is
urgently needed. We must move from small projects with short-term horizons
to long-term, comprehensive strategies,” he added.
Commenting on the potential enhanced impact of integrating prevention and
treatment, the 2005 report emphasizes that a comprehensive response to HIV
and AIDS requires the simultaneous acceleration of treatment and prevention
efforts with the ultimate goal of universal access to prevention, treatment
and care.
"We can now see the clear benefit of scaling up HIV treatment and prevention
together and not as isolated interventions," said WHO Director-General Dr
LEE Jong-wook. "Treatment availability provides a powerful incentive for
governments to support, and individuals to seek out, HIV prevention
information and voluntary counselling and testing. Effective prevention can
also help reduce the number of individuals who will ultimately require care,
making broad access to treatment more achievable and sustainable."
The complete 2005 AIDS Epidemic Update Report can be accessed on the UNAIDS
website – www.unaids.org. |
