UN: Global Fight Against AIDS is in a Dangerous State

The United Nations warned on Wednesday that satisfaction with the current situation has halted the global fight against AIDS, and the progress made so far is not satisfactory. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS stated in its new report that combating this disease is at a 'dangerous' juncture. Despite a decrease in the number of victims and the increasing impact of new treatment methods, the rate of new infections is at a level that jeopardizes global efforts to eradicate AIDS. The report states, 'The world is straying from the right path. Promises made to the most vulnerable members of society are not being fulfilled. There is a long way to go to end the AIDS epidemic, and there is not much time left.' Michel Sidibé, the director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, noted in the introduction of this report that significant progress has been made in reducing AIDS deaths and increasing access to effective medications for more patients. The report indicates that of approximately 37 million people living with HIV worldwide, about 21.7 million are receiving treatment, which is about five and a half times more than a decade ago. These rapid and continuous efforts to deliver medications to patients have resulted in a 34% reduction in AIDS-related deaths between 2010 and 2017. The number of victims in 2017 was the lowest in this century, with fewer than one million people losing their lives. However, Mr. Sidibé also stated that currently, preventing the spread of AIDS, especially among those at higher risk, and ensuring adequate funding for ongoing preventive and treatment efforts is in a 'critical' state. He added, 'Success in reducing new HIV infections has not been sufficient to save the lives of those affected. New HIV infections are not decreasing at the desired rate. Necessary preventive measures are not being implemented on the required scale and do not encompass those who need it the most.' Michel Sidibé expressed serious concern about the inability to combat the spread of the virus among children. He noted, 'In 2017, over 180,000 children were infected with HIV, indicating that we are far from our goal of eradicating new infections by 2018.' Statistics from this report show that a total of about 1.8 million new HIV infections were recorded among children and adults in 2017. Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, over 77 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV, and nearly half of them, about 35 million, have died. Linda-Gail Bekker, president of the International AIDS Society, stated that the new UN report shows that the biggest obstacle to ending this epidemic has 'political and ideological roots.' She added, 'We are still far from ending the AIDS epidemic. As long as progress does not benefit everyone, we cannot be satisfied with the outcomes of the global fight against AIDS.' According to this report, by the end of 2017, about $21 billion was available to combat AIDS in low- and middle-income countries. More than half of this amount has been provided by domestic resources of these countries, not by international donors. The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that approximately $26 billion will be needed by 2020. Michel Sidibé stated, 'There is a funding crisis.' Despite an increase in financial resources in 2017, these amounts are still 20% less than current needs. According to Mr. Sidibé, this funding shortfall will be 'catastrophic' for countries that rely on international aid.