The global AIDS epidemic
- Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.
- In 2008, some 33.4 million [31.1 million-35.8 million] people living with HIV, 2.7 million [2.4 million-3.0 million] new infections and 2 million [1.7 million-2.4 million] AIDS-related deaths.
- In 2008, around 430 000 [240 000-610 000] children were born with HIV, bringing to 2.1 million [1.2 million-2.9 million] the total number of children under 15 living with HIV.
- Young people account for around 40% of all new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide.
- Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected and is home to 67% of all people living with HIV worldwide and 91% of all new infections among children.
- In sub-Saharan Africa the epidemic has orphaned more than 14 million children.
Regional statistics
| People living with HIV | New HIV infections 2008 | AIDS-related deaths 2008 |
Adult HIV prevalence (%) |
|
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 22,4 million [20,8–24,1] million | 1,9 million [1,6–2,2 million] | 1,4 million [1,1–1,7 million] | 5,2% [4,9%–5,4%] |
| South and South-East Asia | 850 000 [700 000–1,0 million] | 75 000 [58 000–88 000] | 59 000 [46 000–71 000] | <0,1% [<0,1%] |
| East Asia | 850 000 [700 000–1,0 million] | 75 000 [58 000–88 000] | 59 000 [46 000–71 000] | <0,1% [<0,1%] |
| Latin America | 2,0 million [1,8–2,2 million] | 170 000 [150 000–200 000] | 77 000 [66 000–89 000] | 0,6% [0,5%–0,6%] |
| North America | 1,4 million [1,2–1,6 million] | 55 000 [36 000–61 000] | 25 000 [20 000–31 000] | 0.4% [0.3%–0.5%] |
| Western and Central Europe | 850 000 [710 000–970 000] | 30 000 [23 000–35 000] | 13 000 [10 000–15 000] | 0.3% [0.2%–0.3%] |
| Eastern Europe and Central Asia | 1,5 million [1,4–1,7 million] | 110 000 [100 000–130 000] | 87 000 [72 000–110 000] | 0,7% [0,6%–0,8%] |
| Caribbean | 240 000 [220 000–260 000] | 20 000 [16 000–24 000] | 12 000 [9300–14 000] | 1,0% [0,9%–1,1%] |
| Middle East and North Africa | 310 000 [250 000–380 000] | 35 000 24 000–46 000] | 20 000 [15 000–25 000] | 0,2% [<0,2%–0,3%] |
| Oceania | 59 000 [51 000–68 000] | 3900 [2900–5100] | 2000 [1100–3100] | 0,3% [<0,3%–0,4%] |
| Total | 33,4 million [31,1–35,8 million] | 2,7 million [2,4–3,0 million] | 2 million [1,7–2,4 million] | 0,8% [<0,8%-0,8%)] |
Source: AIDS epidemic update December 2009
HIV prevention
- The percentage of HIV-positive pregnant women who received treatment to prevent transmission of the virus to their child increased from 33% in 2007 to 45% in 2008.
- Latest data indicate that fewer than 40% of young people have basic information about HIV and less than 40% of people living with HIV know their status.
- The number of new HIV infections continues to outstrip the numbers on treatment—for every two people starting treatment, a further five become infected with the virus.
HIV treatment
- More than 4 million people in low- and middle-income countries had access to HIV treatment at the end of 2008, up from 3 million at the end of 2007.
- This represents an increase of 36% in one year and a 10-fold increase over five years. - An estimated 700 000 people received treatment in high-income countries in 2008, bringing the global total to at least 4.7 million.
- Despite considerable progress, global coverage remains low: in 2008, only 42% of those in need of treatment had access (compared with 35% in 2007).
- In 2008, only 38% of children in need of treatment in low-and middle income countries received it.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, 2008
| Geographical region |
People receiving ART, Dec. 2008 |
People needing ART, 2008 |
ART coverage, Dec. 2008 |
People receiving ART, Dec. 2007 |
People needing ART, 2007 |
ART coverage, Dec. 2007 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 2,9 million | 6,7 million | 44% | 2,1 million | 6,4 million | 33% |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 445 000 | 820 000 | 54% | 390 000 | 770 000 | 50% |
| East, South and South-East Asia | 565 000 | 1,5 million | 37% | 420 000 | 1,5 million | 29% |
| Europe, Central Asia | 85 000 | 370 000 | 23% | 54 000 | 340 000 | 16% |
| Middle East, North Africa | 10 000 | 68 000 | 14% | 7 000 | 63 000 | 11% |
| Total | 4 million | 9,5 million | 42% | 2,97 million | 9 million | 33% |
Источник: Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector:
progress report 2009, WHO/UNAIDS/UNICEF, September 2009.
Tuberculosis and HIV
- One third of people living with HIV are co-infected with TB. Tuberculosis a leading cause of death among people living with HIV and yet is mostly curable and preventable.
Resource availability and needs
- In 2008, US$ 15.6 billion was estimated to be available from all sources for HIV.
- UNAIDS estimates that US$ 25 billion will be needed for HIV services in 2010.
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Latest epidemiological trends
The estimated number of adults and children living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia rose to 1.5 million [1.4 million–1.7 million] in 2008, a 66% increase from 900 000 [800 000-1.1 million] in 2001.
HIV prevalence in the region is on the rise, with severe and growing epidemics in the Ukraineand the Russian Federation. With an adult HIV prevalence of 1.6% [1.1-2.0%] in 2007, Ukraine has the highest prevalence in all of Europe.
Three countries in the region (Estonia, Russian Federation and Ukraine) have HIV prevalence that exceeds 1%.
A number of countries have expanded access to antiretroviral therapy, although treatment coverage remains quite low. By December 2008, 22% of adults in need of treatment were receiving it—less than the global average for low- and middle-income countries (42%).
Evidence suggests that injecting drug users, the population most at risk of HIV infection in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, are often the least likely to receive antiretroviral therapy.
High HIV prevalence among injecting drug users has been reported in Ukraine(38.5–50.3%) and the Russian Federation(37%).
Although HIV prevention coverage for injecting drug users remains low in the region, scattered progress has been reported in expanding harm reduction services. In Estonia, the number of sterile syringes distributed through harm reduction programmes per injecting drug users doubled, reaching 112.
Key regional dynamics
Injecting drug use remains the primary mode of HIV transmission in the region. With increasing transmission among the sexual partners of drug users, many countries in the region are experiencing a transition from an epidemic concentrated among injecting drug users to one that is increasingly characterized by significant sexual transmission.
Use of contaminated drug injecting equipment was the source of 57% of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Eastern Europe in 2007. An estimated 3.7 million people currently inject drugs in the region, and roughly one in four are believed to be HIV-infected.
In Eastern Europe, heterosexual transmission was the source of 42% of newly diagnosed HIV infections in 2007.
The common overlap between sex work and injecting drug use further facilitates the spread of HIV in the region. In the Russian Federation, studies indicate that more than 30% of sex workers have injected drugs. In Ukraine, HIV prevalence among sex workers ranges from 13.6% to 31.0%.
HIV transmission between men who have sex with men accounts for a small share of new infections in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In 2007, sex between men accounted for only 0.4% of newly diagnosed HIV infections in Eastern Europe.
However, HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men is 5.3% in Georgia, 6% in the Russian Federationand 10–23% in Ukraine.
One of the biggest achievements in the AIDS response in the region has been the high coverage of services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. In December 2008, the coverage of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission exceeded 90% in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
