HIV/AIDS

Canada's Worldwide Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Spotlight

According to the most recent estimates, the incidence of HIV/AIDS is slowly declining. There were 2.7 million new HIV infections globally in 2007, compared to 3.5 million in 1996. Nevertheless, 33 million people worldwide are still living with HIV. Two thirds of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than half are women.

HIV is a major development challenge, further complicated by numerous factors such as:

• inequalities between women and men
• social inequalities and poverty
• humanitarian crises and armed conflict
• unemployment
• discrimination
• food insecurity
• limits in agricultural production

As this pandemic affects people from all walks of life in the prime of their lives, it also has a devastating impact on the economic, social, and political well-being of societies.

Despite the huge burden of this disease, there are signs of hope and progress in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Beginning to help people protect themselves against HIV are:

• new drugs and treatments
• improved access to health services through stronger health care systems
• effective prevention programs and public information campaigns

And those who are infected with HIV are living longer and better lives.