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Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007
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HIV-hit: lower figures for India

Special Correspondent

Substantial revisions from previous estimates due to advances in methodology

An estimated 1.7 million new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa in 2007
2.5 million people living with HIV in India, global figures stand at 33.2 million

NEW DELHI: The latest data on HIV/AIDS released by the UNAIDS shows that the disease prevalence — the percentage of people living with HIV — has levelled off globally and that the number of new infections has fallen.

In 2007, 33.2 million people are estimated to be living with HIV, 2.5 million people became newly infected and 2.1 million died of AIDS globally.

Although the proportion of people living with HIV in India is lower than previously estimated, the epidemic continues to affect large numbers of people (2.5 million in 2006), the report said.

There are an estimated 1.7 million new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa in 2007 — a significant reduction since 2001.

However, the region remains most severely affected with an estimated 22.5 million people living with HIV, 68 per cent of the global total.

Eight countries in this region now account for almost one-third of all new infections and deaths globally, according to the report released by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and the World Health Organisation.

The new report reflects improved and expanded epidemiological data. These new data and advances in methodology have resulted in substantial revisions from previous estimates.

Global incidence — the number of new HIV infections per year — is now estimated to have peaked in the late 1990s at over 3 million new infections per year. In 2007, 2.5 million new infections are estimated, an average of more than 6,800 new infections each day. The number of people dying from AIDS-related illnesses has declined in the last two years due to the life-prolonging effects of antiretroviral therapy.

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