Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 11/22/2006

[Guest guest]

U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) -

[These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

CONTENT:

1 - AFRICA: New figures show AIDS epidemic spreading

1 - AFRICA: New figures show AIDS epidemic spreading

JOHANNESBURG, 21 November (PLUSNEWS) - The global HIV/AIDS epidemic is

expanding, according to new figures released on Tuesday by UNAIDS and the World

Health Organisation (WHO), with sub-Saharan Africa still carrying the heaviest

burden. Of the estimated 4.3 million new infections in 2006, 65 percent occurred

in the region.

Despite a major scale-up in antiretroviral treatment, which reached more than

one million people in sub-Saharan Africa by June 2006, the area accounted for

almost three-quarters of AIDS-related deaths. Overall, the region is now home to

an estimated 24.7 million HIV-infected people, up from 22.6 million two years

ago.

The '2006 AIDS Epidemic Update', compiled from the most recent worldwide

HIV/AIDS surveillance, records alarming evidence of a resurgence of HIV

infection in countries that previously had some success in stabilising or

reducing prevalence.

" This is worrying, as we know increased HIV prevention programmes in these

countries have shown progress in the past, Uganda being a prime example. This

means that countries are not moving at the same speed as their epidemics, "

commented UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Piot.

A study of some rural areas in Uganda found a rise in prevalence from a low of

5.6 percent in men and 6.9 percent in women in 2000, to 6.5 percent in men and

8.8 percent in women in 2004. The increase appears to correspond with studies

suggesting that older men in those areas are engaging in more casual sex.

With a few exceptions, including Mali and Burundi, most countries in East and

West Africa are experiencing stabilising or declining HIV prevalence rates.

Southern Africa is still hardest hit. In this region, Zimbabwe is the only

country where HIV data from antenatal clinics indicate a decline in adult HIV

prevalence from around 30 percent in the early 2000s to 24 percent in 2004. The

report says that while behaviour change resulting from increased AIDS awareness

probably accounts for some of the decrease, " inconsistencies and biases in some

of the data mean that the extent of the decline in HIV prevalence might not be

as substantial as indicated by the antenatal clinic data. "

In other countries, such as Lesotho and Malawi, UNAIDS points out that sharply

rising mortality rates could be masking the impact of new infections, rather

than the success of HIV prevention efforts creating an apparently stable level

of HIV infection.

In countries where the epidemic emerged a little later, such as Mozambique,

Swaziland and South Africa, HIV levels are rising. Among pregnant women

attending antenatal clinics in South Africa, HIV prevalence rose from 22.4

percent in 1999 to 30.2 percent in 2005. According to the report, young women in

South Africa are four times more likely to be HIV-infected than young men. In

the region as a whole, there are around 14 women living with HIV for every 10

men.

Worldwide, 40 percent of new HIV infections were among people aged 15 to 24, but

new data suggests that focused HIV prevention programmes can have a positive

impact on young people's sexual behaviour. In several African countries young

people reported using condoms more frequently, having fewer sexual partners and

even delaying their first experience of sex. Countries recording falling HIV

prevalence among young people in the last five years include Botswana, Kenya,

Rwanda and Zimbabwe. In many other coutries, however, the report notes a lack of

sufficient data to measure either behavioural trends or HIV prevalence in young

people.

According to UNAIDS, HIV prevention programmes in some countries are failing to

reach people most at risk of infection. In Kenya, for example, 53 percent of

injecting drug users in a study in the capital, Nairobi, were found to be HIV

positive, while a Senegalese study of men who have sex with men found that 22

percent of them had HIV, while the national adult prevalence is just under 1

percent.

" Knowing your epidemic and understanding the drivers of the epidemic, such as

inequality between men and women and homophobia, is absolutely fundamental to

the long-term response to AIDS, " said Piot.

ks/he/oa

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Subscriber: AIDS treatments

[Guest guest]

U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) -

[These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

CONTENT:

1 - AFRICA: New figures show AIDS epidemic spreading

1 - AFRICA: New figures show AIDS epidemic spreading

JOHANNESBURG, 21 November (PLUSNEWS) - The global HIV/AIDS epidemic is

expanding, according to new figures released on Tuesday by UNAIDS and the World

Health Organisation (WHO), with sub-Saharan Africa still carrying the heaviest

burden. Of the estimated 4.3 million new infections in 2006, 65 percent occurred

in the region.

Despite a major scale-up in antiretroviral treatment, which reached more than

one million people in sub-Saharan Africa by June 2006, the area accounted for

almost three-quarters of AIDS-related deaths. Overall, the region is now home to

an estimated 24.7 million HIV-infected people, up from 22.6 million two years

ago.

The '2006 AIDS Epidemic Update', compiled from the most recent worldwide

HIV/AIDS surveillance, records alarming evidence of a resurgence of HIV

infection in countries that previously had some success in stabilising or

reducing prevalence.

" This is worrying, as we know increased HIV prevention programmes in these

countries have shown progress in the past, Uganda being a prime example. This

means that countries are not moving at the same speed as their epidemics, "

commented UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Piot.

A study of some rural areas in Uganda found a rise in prevalence from a low of

5.6 percent in men and 6.9 percent in women in 2000, to 6.5 percent in men and

8.8 percent in women in 2004. The increase appears to correspond with studies

suggesting that older men in those areas are engaging in more casual sex.

With a few exceptions, including Mali and Burundi, most countries in East and

West Africa are experiencing stabilising or declining HIV prevalence rates.

Southern Africa is still hardest hit. In this region, Zimbabwe is the only

country where HIV data from antenatal clinics indicate a decline in adult HIV

prevalence from around 30 percent in the early 2000s to 24 percent in 2004. The

report says that while behaviour change resulting from increased AIDS awareness

probably accounts for some of the decrease, " inconsistencies and biases in some

of the data mean that the extent of the decline in HIV prevalence might not be

as substantial as indicated by the antenatal clinic data. "

In other countries, such as Lesotho and Malawi, UNAIDS points out that sharply

rising mortality rates could be masking the impact of new infections, rather

than the success of HIV prevention efforts creating an apparently stable level

of HIV infection.

In countries where the epidemic emerged a little later, such as Mozambique,

Swaziland and South Africa, HIV levels are rising. Among pregnant women

attending antenatal clinics in South Africa, HIV prevalence rose from 22.4

percent in 1999 to 30.2 percent in 2005. According to the report, young women in

South Africa are four times more likely to be HIV-infected than young men. In

the region as a whole, there are around 14 women living with HIV for every 10

men.

Worldwide, 40 percent of new HIV infections were among people aged 15 to 24, but

new data suggests that focused HIV prevention programmes can have a positive

impact on young people's sexual behaviour. In several African countries young

people reported using condoms more frequently, having fewer sexual partners and

even delaying their first experience of sex. Countries recording falling HIV

prevalence among young people in the last five years include Botswana, Kenya,

Rwanda and Zimbabwe. In many other coutries, however, the report notes a lack of

sufficient data to measure either behavioural trends or HIV prevalence in young

people.

According to UNAIDS, HIV prevention programmes in some countries are failing to

reach people most at risk of infection. In Kenya, for example, 53 percent of

injecting drug users in a study in the capital, Nairobi, were found to be HIV

positive, while a Senegalese study of men who have sex with men found that 22

percent of them had HIV, while the national adult prevalence is just under 1

percent.

" Knowing your epidemic and understanding the drivers of the epidemic, such as

inequality between men and women and homophobia, is absolutely fundamental to

the long-term response to AIDS, " said Piot.

ks/he/oa

[ENDS]

Your input is important. Please complete our annual survey at

http://www.irinnews.org/readership_survey.aspThis is non-reply e-mail. Please do

not hesitate to contact us at Mail@....

Principal donors: IRIN is generously supported by Australia, Canada, Denmark,

ECHO, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and

the United States of America. For more information, go to:

http://www.IRINnews.org/donors

[This item comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian news and information

service, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its

agencies. All IRIN material may be reposted or reprinted free-of-charge; refer

to the copyright page (Http://www.irinnews.org/copyright ) for conditions of

use. IRIN is a project of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs.]

PLUSNEWS

Tel: +27 11 895-1900

Fax: +27 11 784-6759

Email: Mail@...

To make changes to or cancel your subscription visit:

http://www.irinnews.org/subscriptions

Subscriber: AIDS treatments