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In the 25 years since it was first reported, AIDS has
become the leading cause of premature death in sub-Saharan Africa and the fourth
largest killer worldwide. More than 20 million people have died around the world
since the epidemic began. And by the end of 2004, an estimated 39 million people
were living with HIV.
As the epidemic advances, the number of children who
have lost both parents to AIDS is escalating. In 2003, there were over 4 million
children in sub-Saharan Africa alone who had lost both parents to AIDS. In all
developing regions, 15 million children had lost one parent or both to
AIDS.
Globally, just under half people living with HIV are female, but as the
epidemic worsens, the share of infected women and girls is growing. For
physiological reasons, and because they typically lack power in sexual
relations with men, women and girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection.
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With a vaccine still years away, and prevention efforts
having limited success, large-scale use of antiretroviral therapy could help tip
the scale of the epidemic back to controllable levels. Antiretroviral therapies
reduce the amount the AIDS virus in affected individuals, improving their
clinical condition, quality of life and life expectancy.
Until recently, there was widespread concern that antiretroviral therapy
was too complex and resource intensive for use in developing countries.
However, indicates that with proper support and financing antiretroviral
therapy can play an important role in combination with prevention. Needless
to say, education is all-the-more important at this time, because millions
of young people know too little about HIV to protect themselves.
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