Being Alive; November 1997
Chris Griffin

Dr. Piot pointed out that there are an estimated 8,500 new HIV infections each day across the globe, 90% of which occur in developing countries. Women account for 40%, and more than 50% occur in people aged 15-25 years. One thousand of these new infections occur in children.

AIDS is now as common as malaria as a cause of death globally, Piot stated. And AIDS mortality is accelerating; one quarter of all deaths from AIDS occurred in the past year.

India now has four million HIV+ people, most infected within the last two to three years. HIV among Bombay sex workers is estimated to be 51%, among STD clinic patients, 40%, and among pregnant women, 3%.

HIV prevalence among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa ranges from 17%-40% in the southern, east coast and central African countries. In this area, where HIV is endemic, life expectancy has been reduced by as much as 25 years. Any gains in human development made in this part of the world prior to the onset of the epidemic are being reversed by the disastrous effects of AIDS on longevity and health.

In Latin America, Brazil has the highest incidence of HIV infection. Piot estimates that as many as 23% of gay men, 27% of sex workers, and 60% of injection drug users are HIV+. AIDS is now the leading cause of death in the state of S o Paulo. Dr. Piot did offer some positive news of gains that had been made in the area of prevention. In Uganda, Thailand and Switzerland, aggressive sex education (including information on sexually transmitted diseases and condom use) has been met with initial success. The HIV seroprevalence rate of pregnant women in Uganda, for example, had been reduced from 21% in 1990-1993 to 15% in 1994-1995, produced by rigorous prevention campaigns in prenatal clinics.

In conclusion, however, Dr. Piot returned to his pessimistic view. "The AIDS epidemic is far, far from over. And we will have to cope with it for many generations to come."

Kenya: AIDS Epidemic a Double Tragedy

The Toronto Globe & Mail reports that individuals fighting the AIDS epidemic in Kenya face a continuous spread of disease and the lack of funds to stop it.

While the government spends 200 Kenyan shillings (about $4.50) per citizen for health care, a one-month course of treatment with AZT would cost over 50,000 shillings (about $1,120). Official estimates say that about 1.2 million Kenyans are HIV+ and another 200,000 have developed AIDS, but Meshaak Ndolo, program officer at the AIDS Program Secretariat in Nairobi, says those figures "are very conservative," since "thousands of HIV/AIDS-related deaths go unreportedin the rural areas." The result of the disparity between access to treatment and spread of disease has been numerous claims of wonder drugs, such as Kemron and Pearl Omega.

Malawi: Life Expectancy Decreased By AIDS

By the year 2010, the average life expectancy of residents in the African country of Malawi will fall from 45 to 44 years, if the AIDS epidemic there remains unchecked. So predicts a recent report from The World Bank. HIV infects an estimated 13% of Malawi's population. If its spread were brought under control, life expectancy could be increased to 57 years, the report said.

Over 50,000 AIDS cases had been reported to Malawi's National AIDS Control Program by July 1997. This figure is recognized, however, as a severe underestimate of the actual number of people with the disease. The World Bank study warned the Malawi government to do more about the AIDS epidemic, but Health and Population Minister Harry Thompson noted that "unless people change their behavior, the efforts [to protect the uninfected] will be useless."

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