HIV infection numbers stagnant in the past five years: report

A significant progress has been seen in a number of countries in Asia and the Pacific in reducing new HIV infections by over 50 per cent since 2001, but the impact appears to be slowing down with overall numbers across the region remaining largely unchanged in the past five years, a latest UN report has said. It also warns of emerging epidemics in some countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Launched at the 2013 International Conference on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, the report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), titled “HIV in Asia and the Pacific: Getting to Zero” found that more people than ever before had access to HIV services across the region. However, inadequate focus on key populations at higher risk of HIV infection and geographical areas with higher HIV burden mean that most countries in the region were not progressing fast enough to reach global targets on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Source: The Hindu

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