Nearly 21 Million Now Receiving AIDS Drugs, U.N. Agency Says
- 6 years ago
Nearly 21 Million Now Receiving AIDS Drugs, U.N. Agency Says
test; 90 percent of those who test positive having been prescribed drugs;
and 90 percent of those prescribed drugs staying on them faithfully enough to have undetectable levels of the virus in their blood.
Only four countries in Africa — where the epidemic has hit hardest — are getting drugs to
even 75 percent of their citizens needing them: Botswana, Rwanda, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
Global Health By
DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
NOV. 20, 2017
Almost 21 million people around the world are now getting life-prolonging AIDS drugs, according to a report issued on Monday.
But that means that only 44 percent of the world’s H.I.V.-infected people are virally suppressed —
that is, that they are taking medication consistently enough to provide a nearly normal life span.
The number of "AIDS orphans" — children and teenagers whose parents have died — peaked at 20 million in 2009.
That happened only after generic drugs became available
and donor organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria were created to pay for them.
test; 90 percent of those who test positive having been prescribed drugs;
and 90 percent of those prescribed drugs staying on them faithfully enough to have undetectable levels of the virus in their blood.
Only four countries in Africa — where the epidemic has hit hardest — are getting drugs to
even 75 percent of their citizens needing them: Botswana, Rwanda, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
Global Health By
DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
NOV. 20, 2017
Almost 21 million people around the world are now getting life-prolonging AIDS drugs, according to a report issued on Monday.
But that means that only 44 percent of the world’s H.I.V.-infected people are virally suppressed —
that is, that they are taking medication consistently enough to provide a nearly normal life span.
The number of "AIDS orphans" — children and teenagers whose parents have died — peaked at 20 million in 2009.
That happened only after generic drugs became available
and donor organizations like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria were created to pay for them.