This executive summary of the 2006 Report on the global AIDS epidemic provides information on the latest developments in the AIDS epidemic and the AIDS response. The special UNAIDS 10th anniversary edition of the report presents country profiles and estimates of the epidemic’s scope and human toll.

The report documents considerable progress in many countries in addressing their national epidemics. A six fold increase in financing for HIV programmes in low- and middle-income countries 2001–2007 is beginning to bear fruit, as gains in lowering the number of AIDS deaths and preventing new infections are apparent in many countries. Progress remainsuneven, however, and the epidemic’s future is still uncertain, underscoring the need for intensified action to move towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

This article provides a summary of current issues and recommended methods for estimating HIV incidence, including cohort studies for direct measures of incidence, mathematical models that can be used to estimate incidence indirectly from HIV prevalence data and biological assays based on HIV antigen or antibody measurements to distinguish recent from established HIV infections.

Levier de la riposte au sida, l’ONUSIDA s’emploie à bâtir l’action politique et à promouvoir les droits de tous les individus afin d’obtenir de meilleurs résultats pour la santé et le développement dans le monde. Il fixe des orientations au niveau mondial et incarne la source des données relatives au VIH. Dans les pays, le Programme commun rassemble les ressources du Secrétariat de l’ONUSIDA et de 10 organisations du système des Nations Unies pour des activités coordonnées et responsables visant à unir le monde contre le sida.

This report provides a quick snapshot of the state of the AIDS response, key findings and action points. For the first time UNAIDS is presenting AIDS scorecards that provide a quick overview of the progress made by United Nations Member States in the global AIDS response.

The 2010 edition of the UNAIDS Report on the global AIDS epidemic includes new country by country scorecards on key issues facing the AIDS response. Based on the latest data from 182 countries, this global reference book provides comprehensive analysis on the AIDS epidemic and response. For the first time the report includes trend data on incidence from more than 60 countries.

A new report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), released on 21 November, shows that 2011 was a game changing year for the AIDS response with unprecedented progress in science, political leadership and results. The report also shows that new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths have fallen to the lowest levels since the peak of the epidemic.

This documents the extraordinary progress achieved over the past decade in the health sector response to HIV. Access to evidence-informed HIV prevention, testing and counselling, treatment and care services in low- and middle-income countries has expanded dramatically.

The data tables describe in greater detail the progress being made against the HIV epidemic and the main challenges to achieving zero HIV infections and zero AIDS deaths. The data are drawn from country progress reports and will be updated regularly. This document reflects information found in the publication ‘Global HIV/AIDS response: epidemic update and health sector progress towards universal access: progress report 2011’, by UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO.