December 1, World AIDS Day, kicks off AIDS Awareness Month. Since the first case was detected, significant advances have been made — in science, attitudes and education, but the disease continues its ravaging effect. MyCOW looks at AIDS’ international impact through a selection of figures.
Did you know that AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is now the leading cause of death among 15 to 59 year-olds? First recognized in June 1981, in its over 20 years of official existence, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that more than 25 million people have died from it. World AIDS Day on December 1st was started by UNAIDS (a division of the United Nations) in 1988 to keep awareness alive. Here are some facts about the state of AIDS in the world today:
India has the largest number of people living with AIDS with 5.7 million. Eighty-five percent of those infections were transmitted through sex.
Over 1.5 million people are living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, compared to only 30,000 in 1995. Young people, who make up 40% of the population in the region, account for the majority of HIV infections among injecting drug users.
The number of people infected in China is 20 percent higher than last year.
The number of American youth being infected is also, alarmingly, on the rise.
Only 10% of girls in Tajikistan have ever heard of HIV/AIDS.
Currently only 9% of pregnant women living with HIV in the developing world are provided with drugs to prevent the virus being transmitted to their babies. As a result, nearly half a million children become infected with HIV every year.
In 2005, AIDS claimed an estimated 2.4 to 3.3 million lives. One third of those deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. Zambia is one of the hardest hit countries, with more than 60 percent of its population infected. Approximately 6000 people die of AIDS each day in Africa.
In many countries of Western Europe, there are increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections. As in the US, there is a resurgence in unsafe sex practices, primarily among young heterosexuals. Experts say a number of factors may be at play, including the fact that many HIV-infected patients are now being kept healthy with powerful drugs — making AIDS seem like less of a threat to young people than it did in the past.
So now that you know, what can you do? Anything and everything. Give your time, your money, your voice. Tell just one person, someone you know, some of the facts. Support organizations that continue the fight for women’s empowerment and education. Write to your government representatives about supporting initiatives in the fight against global AIDS. Support international education initiatives. Fight against the discrimination and stigma that people living with AIDS must deal with.
This article was published Sunday, December 2, 2007.
