HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; We Are Affected But Not Infected

In 2017 (the latest data available)…

• 36.9 million [31.1 million–43.9 million] people globally were living with HIV in 2017.
• 21.7 million [19.1 million–22.6 million] million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2017.
• 1.8 million [1.4 million–2.4 million] people became newly infected with HIV in 2017.
• 940 000 [670 000–1.3 million] people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2017.
• 77.3 million [59.9 million–100 million] people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.
• 35.4 million [25.0 million–49.9 million] people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.

People living with HIV

• In 2017, there were 36.9 million [31.1 million–43.9 million] people living with HIV.
  • 35.1 million [29.6 million–41.7 million] adults.
  • 1.8 million [1.3 million–2.4 million] children (<15 years).
• 75% [55–92%] of all people living with HIV knew their HIV status in 2017.
• About 9.4 million people did not know that they were living with HIV.

People living with HIV accessing antiretroviral therapy

• In 2017, 21.7 million [19.1 million–22.6 million] people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy, an increase of 2.3 million since 2016 and up from 8 million [7.1 million–8.3 million] in 2010.
• In 2017, 59% [44–73%] of all people living with HIV were accessing treatment.
  • 59% [44–73%] of adults aged 15 years and older living with HIV had to access to treatment, as did 52% [37–70%] of children aged 0–14 years.
  • 65% [49-80%] of female adults aged 15 years and older had access to treatment, however, just 53% [38-66%] of male adults aged 15 years and older had access.
• In 2017, 80% [61– >95%] of pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies.

New HIV infections

• New HIV infections have been reduced by 47% since the peak in 1996.
  • In 2017, there were 1.8 million [1.4 million–2.4 million] new HIV infections, compared to 3.4 million [2.6 million–4.4 million] in 1996.
• Since 2010, new HIV infections among adults have declined by an estimated 16%, from 1.9 million [1.5 million–2.5 million] to 1.6 million [1.3 million–2.1 million] in 2017.
  • Since 2010, new HIV infections among children have declined by 35%, from 270 000 [170 000–400 000] in 2010 to 180 000 [110 000–260 000] in 2017.

AIDS-related deaths

• AIDS-related deaths have been reduced by more than 51% since the peak in 2004.
  • In 2017, 940 000 [670 000–1.3 million] people died from AIDS-related illnesses worldwide, compared to 1.9 million [1.4 million–2.7 million] in 2004 and 1.4 million [1 million–2 million] in 2010.

90–90–90

• In 2017, three out of four people living with HIV (75%) knew their status.
• Among people who knew their status, four out of five (79%) were accessing treatment.
• And among people accessing treatment, four out of five (81%) were virally suppressed.
• 47% of all people living with HIV are virally suppressed.

Women

• Every week, around 7000 young women aged 15–24 years become infected with HIV.

• In sub-Saharan Africa, three in four new infections among adolescents aged 15–19 years are in girls. Young women aged 15–24 years are twice as likely to be living with HIV than men.

• More than one third (35%) of women around the world have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some time in their lives.
  • In some regions, women who experience violence are one and a half times more likely to become infected with HIV.

Key populations

• Key populations and their sexual partners account for:
  • 47% of new HIV infections globally.
  • 95% of new HIV infections in eastern Europe and central Asia and the Middle East and North Africa.
  • 16% of new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa.
• The risk of acquiring HIV is:
  • 27 times higher among men who have sex with men.
  • 23 times higher among people who inject drugs.
  • 13 times higher for female sex workers.
  • 13 times higher for transgender women.

HIV/tuberculosis (TB)

• TB remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, accounting for around one in three AIDS-related deaths.
• In 2016, 10.4 million people developed TB disease, 1.2 million were living with HIV.
  • People living with HIV with no TB symptoms need TB preventative therapy, which lessens the risk of developing TB and reduces TB/HIV death rates by around 40%.
• It is estimated that 49% of people living with HIV and tuberculosis are unaware of their coinfection and are therefore not receiving care.

Investments

• At the end of 2017, US$ 21.3 billion was available for the AIDS response in low- and middle-income countries.
  • Around 56% of the total resources for HIV in low- and middle-income countries in 2017 were from domestic sources.
• UNAIDS estimates that US$ 26.2 billion will be required for the AIDS response in 2020.