(Left to Right): Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director; President Bill Clinton; Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN; Goodluck Jonathan, President of Nigeria; Dr Eric Goosby, US Global AIDS Ambassador, Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, at launch of the Global Plan towards elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive, at UN Headquarters, NYC, 9 June 2011.
Credit: UNAIDS/B. Hamilton

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 9 June 2011—World leaders gathered in New York for the 2011 United Nations High Level Meeting on AIDS have today launched a Global Plan that will make significant strides towards eliminating new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.

“We believe that by 2015 children everywhere can be born free of HIV and that their mothers can remain healthy,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “This new global plan is realistic, it is achievable and it is driven by the most affected countries.”

“Nearly every minute, a child is born with HIV. Working together, we can reverse this tide as we have done in the United States and they are very close to doing in Botswana,” said Ambassador Eric Goosby, the United States Global AIDS Coordinator. “Preventing new HIV infections among children across the globe is truly a smart investment that saves lives and helps to give children a healthy start in life.”

Providing pregnant women living with HIV with antiretroviral prevention and treatment reduces the risk of a child being born with the virus to less than 5%—and keeps their mothers alive to raise them. Neither technical nor scientific barriers stand in the way of responding to this global call to action. The plan notes that what is needed is leadership, shared responsibility and concerted action among donor nations, recipient countries and the private sector to make an AIDS-free generation a reality. 

In answering the Global Plan’s call to action, the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) announced an additional US$ 75 million to preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) efforts. This funding will be on top of the approximately US$ 300 million that PEPFAR already provides annually for PMTCT.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged US$ 40 million, Chevron committed to US$ 20 million and Johnson & Johnson pledged US$ 15 million.

"Investments in preventing mother-to-child transmission are greatly needed and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to ensuring that such initiatives are fully integrated into family planning and maternal, newborn, and child health programmes," said Stefano Bertozzi, Director of HIV and tuberculosis at the Foundation.

“Chevron understands that its sustainability as a business is inextricably linked to the health and well-being of its employees and the communities in which it operates,” stressed Rhonda Zygocki, Executive Vice President, Policy and Planning, for Chevron Corporation. “We are proud to pledge US$ 20 million, joining in this mission to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV.”

“We have a dream that no baby will be born HIV positive and today’s pledge continues the Johnson & Johnson enduring commitment to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” said Brian Perkins, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Affairs. “It is another step in fulfilling our commitment to support achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and reflects our long-standing dedication to improving maternal and child health.”

In 2009, approximately 370 000 children were born with HIV—almost all of them in low- and middle-income countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Under the Global Plan, the goal would be to work toward reducing this number by 90% by 2015. All 22 of the countries with the highest burden of new HIV infections among children have contributed to the development of the plan and signed up to implement it.

(Left to Right): Babalwa Mbono, Representative of Women Living with HIV; Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director; President Bill Clinton at launch of the Global Plan towards elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive.
Credit: UNAIDS/B. Hamilton

The Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV Infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive was developed by a group of more than 30 countries and 50 community groups, non-governmental and international organizations. The group was convened by UNAIDS and PEPFAR.

Babalwa Mbono found out she was HIV positive when she became pregnant. “Helping pregnant women to protect their babies is really important,” she said. “Like all mothers, I would do anything to give my child a healthy start in life—and this prevention should be available to women everywhere.”

"We can only achieve a generation free of HIV and AIDS by focusing our efforts on the mothers and children at greatest risk and in greatest need," urged UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. "The investments we make in preventing maternal-to-child transmission of HIV—and in expanding more women's access to quality care—will yield tremendous returns, not only in the lives of children and families affected by HIV and AIDS, but in improving mothers' and children's health in the poorest countries that bear the greatest burden of the AIDS epidemic."

The plan focuses on a series of specific policy and programmatic measures which countries will take to ensure that all pregnant women living with HIV have access to HIV prevention and treatment services and that new HIV infections among children are eliminated by 2015. The plan also includes efforts to provide treatment to mothers and children living with HIV during breastfeeding and referral to ongoing HIV prevention and treatment programmes thereafter.

The key elements of the Global Plan include ensuring that:

• All women, especially pregnant women, have access to quality life-saving HIV prevention and treatment services—for themselves and their children.
• The rights of women living with HIV are respected and women, families and communities are empowered to fully engage in ensuring their own health and, especially, the health of their children.
• Adequate resources—human and financial—are available from both national and international sources in a timely and predictable manner while acknowledging that success is a shared responsibility.
• HIV, maternal health, newborn and child health and family planning programmes work together, deliver quality results and lead to improved health outcomes.
• Communities, in particular women living with HIV, are enabled and empowered to support women and their families to access the HIV prevention, treatment and care that they need.
• National and global leaders act in concert to support country-driven efforts and are held accountable for delivering results.

The plan also includes a detailed timetable for action at community, national, regional and global levels to ensure rapid progress towards elimination of new HIV infections in children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive.

About the Global Plan

This Global Plan provides the foundation for country-led movement towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive. The Global Plan was developed through a consultative process by a high level Global Task Team convened by UNAIDS and co-chaired by UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and United States Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby. It brought together 30 countries and 50 civil society, private sector, networks of people living with HIV and international organizations to chart a roadmap towards achieving this goal by 2015.

This plan covers all low- and middle-income countries, but focuses on 22 countries ^[1] with the highest estimate of HIV-positive pregnant women. Exceptional global and national efforts are needed in these countries that are home to nearly 90% of pregnant women living with HIV in need of services. Intensified efforts are also needed to support countries with low HIV prevalence and concentrated epidemics to reach out to all women and children at risk of HIV. The Global Plan supports and reinforces the development of costed, country-driven national plans.

UNAIDS

UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, is an innovative United Nations partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Learn more at unaids.org.

PEPFAR

The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the U.S. Government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world. This historic commitment is the largest by any nation to combat a single disease internationally, and PEPFAR investments also help alleviate suffering from other diseases across the global health spectrum. PEPFAR is driven by a shared responsibility among donor and partner nations and others to make smart investments to save lives. Learn more at www.pepfar.gov.

^[1] Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

First Ladies join forces to call for integration of HIV and maternal, newborn and child health programmes at special event during United Nations High Level Meeting on AIDS

(Left to Right): Michel Sidibé, Executive DIrector of UNAIDS; HE Mrs. Azeb Mesfin, First Lady of Ethiopia; Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, Spouse of Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Bun Rany Hun Sen, Cambodia.
Credit: UNAIDS/B. Hamilton

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 8 June 2011—Thirty First Ladies from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean gathered at a special event in New York to mobilize support around achieving the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’ (UNAIDS) vision of Zero new HIV infections among children by 2015. The event was held on the opening day of the UN High Level Meeting on AIDS which is taking place in New York from 8-10 June.

Mrs Ban Soon-taek, wife of the United Nations Secretary-General;  Mrs Azeb Mesfin, First Lady of Ethiopia and President of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS; and Mr. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS co-hosted the New York event. 

Around 1,000 babies are infected with HIV each day, 90% of whom are in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV is also the leading cause regarding mortality among women of reproductive age in developing countries. The First Ladies agreed to advocate for comprehensive and integrated access to maternal and child health services that include services to prevent HIV transmission among infants and which keep mothers and children healthy. 

Gender inequality, gender violence, discrimination and inequitable laws prevent pregnant women from accessing HIV testing and counselling, prevention, treatment and support services. “Women and girls must be at the centre of the AIDS response,” said Michel Sidibé. “When women protect themselves from HIV, they protect a whole new generation from HIV.”

More than 2 million children worldwide are living with HIV, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Western Europe only 1,400 children are living with HIV, highlighting the global injustice of unequal access to maternal and child health services and the urgent need to increase access to HIV services for pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries.

“If women around the world are not involved in facing the challenge of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, we cannot win. If we all play our part, we cannot fail.” said Mrs Mesfin.

In recent years, a number of countries have made great strides in reducing the rate of new HIV infections among children and globally in 2009, new HIV infections among children dropped by 25%.

“The fact that, in still too many places, HIV positive women are denied the right to give birth to healthy babies is a global injustice that we can end by 2015,” said Mrs Ban.

On return to their respective countries, the First Ladies agreed to advance ten action steps to ensure that children are born free from HIV and to promote lifesaving HIV services for women and children. These include supporting efforts to; increase the number of centres providing free maternal, newborn and child health services, including treatment to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to children; strengthen sexual and reproductive health programs for adolescents living with HIV; ensure meaningful engagement of people living with HIV; and promote zero tolerance for stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

(Left to Right): United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, United States Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby, President of the General Assembly Joseph Deiss at the Heads of State event - AIDS, Health, and Development, held at UN Headquarters, NYC, on June 8, 2011
Credit: UNAIDS/B.Hamilton

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 8 June 2011­­—More than 20 Heads of State and Government have come together at a special event focusing on leadership, cooperation and country ownership in the response to HIV. The event, attended by close to 400 people, was held during the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS to renew commitment and identify opportunities in scaling up the HIV response, improving health and achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.

The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, hosted the debate which outlined ways of accelerating action to help countries move closer towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

He outlined three main areas as key to the success of the AIDS response: leadership, ownership and collaboration. “Not a single country, not a single individual, business or entity can win this struggle alone,” he said. “Once the leadership and commitment is there in any country and any community, results begin to show.”  

The need to increase access to services for people most vulnerable to HIV and respect for human rights was central to the discussions. Strong and visionary leadership combined with commitment and global solidarity around HIV were underlined as essential to moving the response forward.

“We can bring HIV deaths and new HIV infections to zero,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Our targets may seem ambitious but they are achievable if we are united.”

Leaders at the event also looked to the future of the HIV response and the importance of investing in youth as the leaders of tomorrow and encouraging their full engagement in the AIDS response.

“If we want to transform the response, we have to bring a new agenda for the future,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). “This will only be achieved if we engage young people to lead a new social movement around AIDS and ensure a sustainable response.”

The speakers stressed the need to overcome the challenges to sustainable and predictable financing. In a report launched ahead of the High Level Meeting on AIDS, UNAIDS outlined that US$ 22 billion will be needed by 2015 to halve new HIV infections and expand access to HIV treatment. However, the report also revealed that international funding for HIV had declined from 2009 to 2010.

“What we need is resources, best policy, and law to ensure and protect the rights of people living with HIV,” said Ms Anandi Yuvuarj, Regional Coordinator of the International Community of Women Living with HIV. “Everyone must have access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, particularly people most vulnerable to HIV.”

Speakers emphasized the need for systematic improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of existing AIDS and health spending, as well as the importance of ensuring the best value for money through effective and efficient HIV programming. In addition, they discussed the need for countries to look for new streams of revenue from domestic, regional and international sources.

Success in South-South cooperation efforts were discussed as an effective way of finding new paradigms of development and sharing innovation within regions for an accelerated response to HIV.

Leaders attending the event pledged to increase efforts to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of their national AIDS responses to accelerate progress towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.

Principal actors in the AIDS movement join world leaders at critical crossroads

(Left to Right): Interpreter; Tetyana Afanasiadi, Human Rights and Community Activist; Paul De Lay, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programmes; Joseph Deiss, President of the UN General Assembly; Jean-Victor Nkolo, Spokesperson, UN General Assembly President at Opening Press Conference on June 7, 2011 at UN Headquarters, NYC. Credit: UNAIDS/B.Hamilton

NEW YORK, 7 June 2011—More than 3000 people will come together at the United Nations in New York tomorrow for the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS. The meeting, which runs from 8-10 June, will provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress and challenges of the last 30 years and shape the future AIDS response.

The High Level Meeting on AIDS is taking place 10 years after the historic 2001 United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS, and the 2006 signing of the Political Declaration where UN Member States committed to moving towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. More than 30 Heads of State, Government and Vice Presidents are expected to attend the meeting which will include official plenary and five panel sessions along with 40 individual side events. On the final day of the High Level Meeting on AIDS, UN Member States are expected to adopt a declaration which will guide country responses to HIV over the next five years.

The opening and closing plenary sessions will be presided over by Joseph Deiss, President of the United Nations General Assembly. He said, “The momentum around this meeting is unprecedented and promises to make this an historic event. We are looking to UN Member States to make bold commitments which will help us reach our shared goal of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.”  

Although some countries are still struggling to reach their universal access targets, many have made significant strides in responding to their epidemics. Twenty-two countries have achieved universal access to services which prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

As well as country-led successes, considerable progress has been made in the global response to HIV since the 2001 UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS. The rate of new HIV infections has decreased by 25% in the last 10 years, deaths have reduced by 20% in the last 5 years and 6.6 million people are now accessing antiretroviral therapy, compared to just a few thousand in 2001. Progress has also been made in breaking down barriers to stigma and discrimination and in removing punitive laws such as travel restrictions for people living with HIV.

“Inequity, discrimination and laws against people living with or at risk of HIV continue to block access to HIV services for people most in need,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). “We need a response to HIV that is grounded in human rights and one which promotes equality and equity. Achieving this will open the way to a world free from HIV.”

UNAIDS recently reported that despite successes in HIV  prevention and treatment, more people than ever before were living with the virus, 34 million according to latest estimates. They also reported that international funding for AIDS had declined.

“If resources go down—people most in need will suffer,” said Tetyana Afanasiadi, Human Rights activist from Ukraine. "The lives of millions of people directly depend on the resources allocated. Today I am alive thanks to antiretroviral therapy and opioid substitution therapy which I had access to through prevention and support programmes. Reducing of the resources allocated to those programs is a direct threat for me and for millions of people around the world."

The High Level Meeting on AIDS is taking place from the 8-10 June at the United Nations in New York. It will bring together UN Member States, International Organisations, Civil Society, people living with HIV and public and private sector partners.

For more information and to see the full program and access feature stories, webcasts, videos, media information and related documents please visit the official website at: http://www.un.org/en/ga/aidsmeeting2011/

As the world marks 30 years of AIDS, UNAIDS estimates 34 million [30.9 million–36.9 million] people are living with HIV and nearly 30 million [25 million–33 million] people have died of AIDS-related causes since the first case of AIDS was reported on 5 June 1981

(From left): Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director; Christina Rodriguez, Co-Founder, Smart Youth; Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General at Press conference on AIDS at 30: Progress of nations, held at UN Headquarters, New York City on June 3, 2011.
Credit: UNAIDS/B. Hamilton

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 3 June 2011—About 6.6 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries at the end of 2010, a nearly 22-fold increase since 2001, according to a new report AIDS at 30: Nations at the crossroads, released today by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

A record 1.4 million people started lifesaving treatment in 2010—more than any year before. According to the report, at least 420 000 children were receiving antiretroviral therapy at the end of 2010, a more than 50% increase since 2008, when 275 000 children were on treatment.

“Access to treatment will transform the AIDS response in the next decade. We must invest in accelerating access and finding new treatment options,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director. “Antiretroviral therapy is a bigger game-changer than ever before—it not only stops people from dying, but also prevents transmission of HIV to women, men and children.”

His statement follows the recent HPTN052 trial results which found that if a person living with HIV adheres to an effective antiretroviral regimen, the risk of transmitting the virus to his or her uninfected sexual partner can be reduced by 96%.

“Countries must use the best of what science can offer to stop new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro. “We are at a turning point in the AIDS response. The goal towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support must become a reality by 2015.”

HIV prevention efforts showing results

According to the report, the global rate of new HIV infections declined by nearly 25% between 2001 and 2009. In India, the rate of new HIV infections fell by more than 50% and in South Africa by more than 35%; both countries have the largest number of people living with HIV on their continents.

The report found that in the third decade of the epidemic, people were starting to adopt safer sexual behaviors, reflecting the impact of HIV prevention and awareness efforts. However, there are still important gaps. Young men are more likely to be informed about HIV prevention than young women. Recent Demographic Health Surveys found that an estimated 74% of young men know that condoms are effective in preventing HIV infection, compared to just 49% of young women.

In recent years, there has been significant progress in preventing new HIV infections among children as increasing numbers of pregnant women living with HIV have gained access to antiretroviral prophylaxis during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding. The number of children newly infected with HIV in 2009 was 26% lower than in 2001.

About 115 low- and middle-income countries are providing optimal treatment regimens for pregnant women living with HIV as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). There are 31 countries that still use sub-optimal regimens in many of their HIV prevention programmes. UNAIDS urges all countries using sub-optimal regimens to revise their treatment guidelines and make the transition to optimal WHO recommended regimens.

AIDS is not over—significant challenges remain

According to the latest estimates from UNAIDS, 34 million [30.9 million–36.9 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2010 and nearly 30 million [25 million–33 million] have died from AIDS-related causes since AIDS was first reported 30 years ago.

Despite expanded access to antiretroviral therapy, a major treatment gap remains. At the end of 2010, 9 million people who were eligible for treatment did not have access. Treatment access for children is lower than for adults—only 28% of eligible children were receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2009, compared to 36% coverage for people of all ages.

While the rate of new HIV infections has declined globally, the total number of HIV infections remains high, at about 7000 per day. The global reduction in the rate of new HIV infections hides regional variations. According to the report, above-average declines in new HIV infections were recorded in sub-Saharan Africa and in South-East Asia, while Latin America and the Caribbean experienced more modest reductions of less than 25%. There has been an increase in the rate of new HIV infections in Eastern Europe and in the Middle East and North Africa.

In virtually all countries, HIV prevalence among populations at increased risk of HIV infection—men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, sex workers and their clients, and transgender people—is higher than among other populations. Access to HIV prevention and treatment for populations at higher risk of infection is generally lower due to punitive and discriminatory laws, and stigma and discrimination. As of April 2011, 79 countries, territories and areas criminalize consensual same-sex relations; 116 countries, territories and areas criminalize some aspect of sex work; and 32 countries have laws that allow for the death penalty for drug-related offences.

According to the report, gender inequalities remain a major barrier to effective HIV responses. HIV is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age, and more than a quarter (26%) of all new global HIV infections are among young women aged 15-24.

AIDS resources declining

According to the report, investments in the HIV response in low- and middle-income countries rose nearly 10-fold between 2001 and 2009, from US$ 1.6 billion to US$ 15.9 billion. However, in 2010, international resources for HIV declined. Many low-income countries remain heavily dependant on external financing. In 56 countries, international donors account for at least 70% of HIV resources.

“I am worried that international investments are falling at a time when the AIDS response is delivering results for people,” said Mr Sidibé. “If we do not invest now, we will have to pay several times more in the future.”

A 2011 investment framework proposed by UNAIDS and partners found that an investment of at least US$ 22 billion is needed by the year 2015, US$ 6 billion more than is available today. When these investments are directed towards a set of priority programmes that are based on a country’s epidemic type, the impact is greatest. It is estimated that the return on such an investment would be 12 million new HIV infections averted and 7.4 million AIDS-related deaths averted by the year 2020. The number of new infections would decline from about 2.6 million in 2009 to about 1 million in 2015.

Perspectives on AIDS from leaders around the world

The report features commentaries from 15 leaders in the global AIDS response, including South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, former United States President Bill Clinton, former President of Brasil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Mali, Amadou Toumani Touré, and Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. The commentaries cover a range of areas, such as AIDS funding, South-South cooperation, youth leadership, the empowerment of women, key affected populations, injecting drug use, human rights, stigma and discrimination and systems integration.

Young people leading the HIV prevention revolution

AIDS at 30: Nations at the crossroads also includes an article on a recent event held on Robben Island, South Africa, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Co-chair of the UNAIDS High Level Commission on HIV Prevention, passed the baton of leadership in the AIDS response to a new generation of young leaders.

According to the report, some of the most important HIV prevention successes have been led by young people. Data indicate that young people in many heavily affected countries are increasingly adopting safer sexual behaviours.

Charity event spotlights HIV epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

VIENNA, 23 May 2011—Celebrities and influential leaders in the global AIDS response gathered at Vienna’s City Hall on 21 May for the 2011 Life Ball, Europe’s largest annual AIDS charity event. This year’s Life Ball commemorated 30 years of AIDS and focused on the rapidly growing HIV epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

“The Life Ball is not only about celebrating life, but also about creating a social movement to stop stigma and discrimination,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, speaking at a press conference on 21 May. “Gery (Keszler) and AIDS LIFE are a voice and force of change in this movement,” he added.

Mr Sidibé was joined at the press conference by Gery Keszler, co-founder and Chairman of AIDS LIFE, a non-profit organization that organizes the Life Ball. Other speakers included singer Janet Jackson representing amfAR, clothing designers Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared2, and Hollywood actress Brooke Shields.

Before the opening ceremony of Life Ball, a number of eminent guests attended the AIDS Solidarity Gala, a fundraising dinner co-hosted by UNAIDS and AIDS LIFE under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer. Proceeds from the event will be used, in part, to support UNAIDS programmes in the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

Over the past decade, the number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia nearly tripled—from an estimated 530 000 in 2000 to 1.4 million in 2009. The Russian Federation and Ukraine together account for nearly 90% of newly reported HIV infections in the region. Though the epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia are mainly concentrated among people who inject drugs, sex workers and men who have sex with men, these populations have limited access to HIV services.

At the Life Ball opening ceremony, 30 international personalities presented milestones in the epidemic’s 30-year history. The UNAIDS Executive Director highlighted the founding of UNAIDS in 1996 and the “glimmer of hope” that same year when combination antiretroviral therapy proved effective in keeping people living with HIV alive.

Former United States President Bill Clinton noted in his remarks that substantial price reductions in antiretroviral medicines since the year 2002 had greatly expanded access to treatment for millions of people. However, he said, a major treatment gap remains: “Ten million people in poor countries still need to be on (antiretroviral) medicines. If you want to cut the infection rate, if you want to cut the death rate, we have to finish the job.”

Every year, the Life Ball recognizes the work and dedication of pioneers in the AIDS response through the “Crystal of Hope” award. This year’s award of 100 000 EUR was presented to Anya Sarang, President of the Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice, a non-governmental organization based in the Russian Federation that advocates for the human rights of people who use drugs.



WHO and UNAIDS hail results from the HPTN 052 trial that show antiretroviral therapy to be 96% effective in reducing HIV transmission in couples where one partner has HIV

Credit: UNAIDS/P.Virot.

GENEVA, 12 May 2011—Results announced today by the United States National Institutes of Health show that if an HIV-positive person adheres to an effective antiretroviral therapy regimen, the risk of transmitting the virus to their uninfected sexual partner can be reduced by 96%.

“This breakthrough is a serious game changer and will drive the prevention revolution forward. It makes HIV treatment a new priority prevention option,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). “Now we need to make sure that couples have the option to choose Treatment for Prevention and have access to it.”

The trial, conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network, enrolled more than 1 700 sero-discordant couples (one partner who is HIV-positive and one who is HIV-negative) from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States of America.

Only people living with HIV with a CD4 cell count of between 350 and 550, thus not yet eligible for treatment for their own health according to latest WHO guidelines, were enrolled in the study. The reduction of sexual transmission of HIV was so significant that the trial was stopped 3-4 years ahead of schedule. 

"This is a crucial development, because we know that sexual transmission accounts for about 80% of all new infections," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. "The findings from this study will further strengthen and support the new guidance that WHO is releasing in July to help people living with HIV protect their partners."

The availability of Treatment for Prevention will not only empower people to get tested for HIV, but also to disclose their HIV status, discuss HIV prevention options with their partners and access essential HIV services. It will also significantly contribute to reducing the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV.

“People living with HIV can now, with dignity and confidence, take additional steps to protect their loved ones from HIV,” said Mr Sidibé.

It is currently estimated that only about half of the 33 million people living with HIV know their HIV status. An increase in the uptake of testing for HIV would have a significant impact on the AIDS response, particularly if more people gain access to treatment in light of the new findings.

UNAIDS and WHO recommend that couples make evidence-informed decisions on which combination of HIV prevention options is best for them. UNAIDS urges that Treatment for Prevention be one of the options made available to couples. The new WHO guidelines coming out in July will help countries to make this a reality for people who choose to use this new HIV prevention option. The guidelines will include specific recommendations on increasing access to HIV testing and counseling and the use of antiretroviral therapy among discordant couples.

No single method is fully protective against HIV. Treatment for Prevention needs to be used in combination with other HIV prevention options. These include correct and consistent use of male and female condoms, waiting longer before having sex for the first time, having fewer partners, male circumcision, and avoiding penetrative sex. The significance of the findings put Treatment for Prevention firmly in the HIV prevention package.

To increase access to the Treatment for Prevention option, the Treatment 2.0 initiative must be urgently implemented to innovate, simplify, reduce costs and mobilize communities to scale up HIV testing and counseling and treatment.

UNAIDS will convene a partners meeting to further discuss this new development and its implications for the AIDS response. This builds on a series of expert consultations which have been convened by UNAIDS and WHO on Treatment for Prevention during the last two years.

UNAIDS and WHO will work with countries and partners to make Treatment for Prevention an integral part of the HIV response and to ensure it is made available to people who wish to use it as soon as possible.

Commitments made to transform the response to HIV at historic event on Robben Island

From left: Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director; Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, South Africa Minister of Health.
Credit: UNAIDS/AFP Photo G. Guercia

Robben Island/Geneva, 4 May 2011—Archbishop Desmond Tutu has symbolically passed the baton to a new generation of young leaders focused on AIDS. The handover took place during an event held to inspire a transformation of the AIDS response which was convened by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on Robben Island in South Africa.

The event joined together world renowned leaders from the UNAIDS High Level Commission on HIV Prevention with a group of young leaders who, in turn, presented the commissioners with a ‘call to action’ articulating the vision of the youth movement on HIV. The Commission on HIV Prevention was established by UNAIDS in 2010 to influence and lead social and political action aimed at galvanizing support for effective HIV prevention programmes.

“Today is about putting our heads and our hearts together to support a renewal of leadership and commitment in HIV prevention,” said Archbishop Tutu, co-chair of the Commission on HIV and long-standing AIDS advocate. “Bold and honest actions are needed and we look to the next generation of leaders to bring about positive change in attitudes and actions.”

The youth representatives convened recently in Mali at a youth leader’s summit on HIV where young people from across the world worked to find innovative ways of strengthening the links between youth and AIDS movements, notably through new media channels.

“Young people have the power to change the future and transform the AIDS response,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “A collective youth movement mobilised around HIV prevention which exchanges important information through new technologies and peer education will stop new infections.”

Archbishop Tutu called on the young participants to commit to taking forward a new generation of leadership in the AIDS response. He also called on the HIV Prevention Commission members to inspire and mentor them in their leadership role.

Commitments were also made by the Commissioners who pledged to take the transformation of the AIDS response forward in their respective sectors. Commissioner Earvin “Magic” Johnson announced by video message that his Foundation will be a founding partner of a global foundations fellowship programme for young people. Elena Pinchuk’s AntiAIDS Foundation announced a global competition for young innovators to develop social networking campaigns. The Global centre for innovation in mobile health and Cell Life pledged to work together with UNAIDS and mobile service providers to promote HIV prevention and behaviour change  dialogue through the use of mobile phones in at least five countries.

The event was held on Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town in South Africa where former president Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. The location is seen as a testimony to the human spirit, symbolising the power of change.

In lead-up to June High Level Meeting, progress report presents overview of efforts needed to help countries achieve universal access to HIV services and zero new HIV infections, discrimination and AIDS-related deaths

Launch of the Report of the Secretary-General. Nairobi, Kenya, 31 March 2011.
Credit: UNAIDS/AFP - S.Maina

NAIROBI, 31 March 2011—Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, investments in the AIDS response are yielding results, according to a new report released today by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Titled Uniting for universal access: towards zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths, the report highlights that the global rate of new HIV infections is declining, treatment access is expanding and the world has made significant strides in reducing HIV transmission from mother to child.

Between 2001 and 2009, the rate of new HIV infections in 33 countries—including 22 in sub-Saharan Africa—fell by at least 25%. By the end of 2010, more than 6 million people were on antiretroviral treatment in low- and middle-income countries. And for the first time, in 2009, global coverage of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV exceeded 50%.

But despite the recent achievements, the report underscores that the gains are fragile. For every person who starts antiretroviral treatment, two people become newly infected with HIV. Every day 7 000 people are newly infected, including 1 000 children. Weak national infrastructures, financing shortfalls and discrimination against vulnerable populations are among the factors that continue to impede access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.

The Secretary-General’s report, based on data submitted by 182 countries, provides five key recommendations that will be reviewed by global leaders at a UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS, 8–10 June 2011.

“World leaders have a unique opportunity at this critical moment to evaluate achievements and gaps in the global AIDS response,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the press briefing in the Kenyan capital. “We must take bold decisions that will dramatically transform the AIDS response and help us move towards an HIV-free generation.”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé with Rebecca Auma Awiti, mother of three children and field coordinator with the non-governmental organization Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya who told her story at the press conference.
Credit: UNAIDS/AFP - S.Maina

“Thirty years into the epidemic, it is imperative for us to re-energise the response today for success in the years ahead,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, who joined Mr Ban for the launch of the report. “Gains in HIV prevention and antiretroviral treatment are significant, but we need to do more to stop people from becoming infected—an HIV prevention revolution is needed now more than ever.”

Rebecca Auma Awiti, a mother living with HIV and field coordinator with the non-governmental organization Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya told her story at the press conference. “Thanks to the universal access movement, my three children were born HIV-free and I am able to see them grow up because of treatment access,” she said.

Mobilizing for impact

In the report there are five recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General to strengthen the AIDS response:

• Harness the energy of young people for an HIV prevention revolution;
• Revitalize the push towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015;
• Work with countries to make HIV programmes more cost effective, efficient and sustainable;
• Promote the health, human rights and dignity of women and girls; and
• Ensure mutual accountability in the AIDS response to translate commitments into action.

The Secretary-General calls upon all stakeholders to support the recommendations in the report and use them to work towards realizing six global targets:

• Reduce by 50% the sexual transmission of HIV—including among key populations, such as young people, men who have sex with men, in the context of sex work; and prevent all new HIV infections as a result of injecting drug use;
• Eliminate HIV transmission from mother to child;
• Reduce by 50% tuberculosis deaths in people living with HIV;
• Ensure HIV treatment for 13 million people;
• Reduce by 50% the number of countries with HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence; and
• Ensure equal access to education for children orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS.

As international funding for HIV assistance declined for the first time in 2009, the report encourages countries to prioritize funding for HIV programmes, including low- and middle-income countries that have the ability to cover their own HIV-related costs. It also stresses the importance of shared responsibility and accountability to ensure the AIDS response has sufficient resources for the coming years.

The report and more information about the High Level Meeting on AIDS can be found online at: unaids.org/en/aboutunaids/unitednationsdeclarationsandgoals/2011highlevelmeetingonaids/

Rwandan President will work with fellow leaders to shape the future of the AIDS and development agenda 

Geneva, 24 March 2011—In partnership with UNAIDS, the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame will lead a Heads of State event on HIV and broader development issues at the United Nations General Assembly High Level meeting on AIDS in June.

"Extraordinary efforts are needed to achieve results in global health and development, in order to transform the lives of our citizens,” said President Kagame. “As leaders, we will need to be innovative in our approach to these defining issues of our time."

The announcement came following a meeting with the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé who was on an official visit to Rwanda to further collaboration in the response to HIV.

“President Kagame is a visionary and a highly respected world leader,” said Mr Sidibé. “He has been pivotal in turning Rwanda’s AIDS epidemic around. The experience and leadership he will bring to the High Level Meeting discussions in June will be instrumental in bringing AIDS out of isolation and greater country ownership.”

Since President Kagame took up leadership in 2000, HIV prevalence has almost halved and the number of people newly infected with HIV reduced by around 25%.

The Heads of State session will focus on areas such as integrating HIV into broader health and development issues and shared responsibility in responding to the epidemic. Major announcements will include a Pan-African vision for country ownership.

The special event will take place during the High Level Meeting on AIDS from 8-10 June 2011 where leaders will gather to shape the future of AIDS, health and development.