How committed is the fight against dreaded scourge

As the world marks World AIDS Day, the global community reassesses efforts to reduce the transmission of HIV infections two decades after the virus was first reported, writes ALEXANDER CHIEJINA Since the HIV virus was first discovered in Lagos, Nigeria in 1986, the fight against the scourge has gulped billions of naira. Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa with an estimated population of over 150 million people, is said to have more than 3.2 million adults and children living with the virus and receiving care to support quality of life, including TB/HIV care services - even as about 723,000 children are orphaned by the disease. Globally, an estimated 34 million people (31.6 million35.2 million) lived with HIV in 2010, and since 2005, AIDS-related deaths are said to have decreased from 2.2 million (2.1 million2.5 million) to 1.8 million (1.6 million1.9 million) in 2010. Furthermore, around 2.5 million deaths are estimated to have been averted in low- and middle-income countries due to increased access to HIV treatment since 1995.Add your comment
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