Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - June 1, 2006
Maryian Alowo
In the UN declaration, leaders from 189 member states agreed to reduce the prevalence of HIV/Aids among young people aged 15 to 24 years by 25% by 2005.
According to the 2006 report on the global Aids epidemic by the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) -- released on Wednesday in New York -- other countries that have met the 25% target are Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
The report says that though the global growth of the Aids pandemic is slowing down, the number of new infections is rising in certain regions and countries.
Although important progress has been made by countries in responding to the pandemic, including increased funding and better access to treatment, Aids remains an "exceptional threat", the report says.
"The response is diverse with some countries doing well on treatment but poorly on HIV preventions and vice versa," it says.
Access to anti-retroviral treatment has expanded significantly from 240 000 people in 2001 to 1,3-million people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, in 2005.
According to the report, 120 000 people living with Aids in Uganda urgently need anti-retrovirals, but only about 70 000 have access to the drugs.
Out of three countries -- Uganda, Kenya and Namibia -- studied for the report, Uganda had the highest anti-retroviral coverage at 56% in 2005 from 6% in 2003. Namibia had coverage of 35% (from 0% in 2003) and Kenya had 19,7% (from 3% in 2003).
The report says many countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, have failed to reach the targets of reducing prevalence among young people because of limited access to treatment and prevention services, including the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
UNAids executive director Dr Peter Piot, who launched the report at UN headquarters in New York, said: "Encouraging results in HIV/Aids prevention and treatment indicate a growing return on investments made in the Aids response.
"We are reaching a critical mass in terms of improvements in funding, political leadership and results on the ground from which the global action against Aids can and must be greatly accelerated," he said. "The actions we take from here are particularly important, as we know with increasing certainty where and how HIV/Aids is moving as well as how to slow the epidemic and reduce its impact."
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