4.2 million people are currently receiving ARV therapy. There have been 9.7 million new smear-positive tuberculosis cases detected and treated. 310 million insecticide-treated nets have been distributed. There are professionals all over the world working extremely hard to reduce and prevent the number of AIDS, TB and malaria cases worldwide. Great progress has been made and continues to be made, bringing us one step closer every day to seeing the end of these life threatening diseases. But we can’t stop now.
At a time when we are so close to a cure, the only choice is to keep going. The Global Fund is urging people not to take their foot off the accelerator now, but to push even harder. In 2013 global leaders will decide on financing to support the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, through The Global Fund. While great work is being done, slowing down research now would be a major setback.
At the end of 2011, The Global Fund estimates that 34 million people were living with HIV worldwide. Living with HIV bears social challenges as well as medical ones simply because of the negative stigma that has developed around the disease. Seen as impure and dirty, people affected by HIV AIDS are often shunned and cast aside by the rest of society.
Related: Does HIV Look Like Me? The Stigma Surrounding HIV/AIDS
Malaria-endemic countries had reached a high of 106 by 2010 and 86% of global deaths caused by malaria were children under the age of five years. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala from the Friends of The Global Fund Africa recalls having a severe case of malaria at the age of five, calling it a disease that no “child or anybody should have to go through”.
Worldwide tuberculosis is known to be the leading cause of death from an infectious disease. The Global Fund brings to light this “disease of poverty” as it mainly affects young adults in their most productive years, making them unable to work and forcing them into an unceasing circle of poverty.
But now…
- AIDS related deaths are decreasing from 3 million in 2001 to 1.7 million in 2011
- Access to state-of-the-art drugs for malaria increased from 11 million treatments in 2005 to 278 million in 2011
- Treatment success for tuberculosis increased from 69% in 2000 to 85% in 2011
Do we really want to take a step back now?
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