World AIDS Awareness Day

 This year’s theme “Human Rights and Universal Access” addresses the critical need to protect human rights and ensure universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The day is also a call to countries to remove laws that discriminate against people living with HIV, women and marginalized groups. Laws like the one proposed in Uganda that would impose the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" and make it a crime punishable by prison to NOT out homosexuals to the government. 

Some facts and figures from the UN's AIDS Epidemic Update 2009:
The global AIDS epidemic

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with
  HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.
• In 2008, some 33.4 million [31.1 million-35.8 million] people living with HIV, 2.7 million
  [2.4 million-3.0 million] new infections and 2 million [1.7 million-2.4 million] AIDS-related
  deaths.
• In 2008, around 430 000 [240 000-610 000] children were born with HIV, bringing to 2.1
  million [1.2 million-2.9 million] the total number of children under 15 living with HIV.
• Young people account for around 40% of all new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide.
• Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected and is home to 67% of all people living
  with HIV worldwide and 91% of all new infections among children 
• In sub-Saharan Africa the epidemic has orphaned more than 14 million children.

To put this in a little perspective, the World Health Organization reports as of 22 November 2009, worldwide more than 207 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 7820 deaths.To hear the MSM tell it though, H1N1 is going to kill us all. Meanwhile 14 MILLION children in Africa have been orphaned because of the AIDS epidemic. That's more than the total population of Buenos Aires, the tenth largest urban center in the world. It's almost as many people as live in Shanghai and more than the population of New York City. You get the idea.

In 2008, only 42% of those who needed Antiretroviral therapy (ART) received it around the world. UNAIDS estimates that 25 Billion US dollars will needed to provide AIDS services in 2010. The US pledged a total of 5.4 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria from 2001 to 2008. And we've only paid 4.3 billion.

More must be done. Find out how you can help.

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