Hiv situation globally

It is estimated that 33 million people were living with HIV in 2007. An estimation of new infections in 2007 was 2.7 million and 2 million died due to AIDS year 2007. A positive decreasing trend in the rate of new HIV infections was seen in several countries, but when looking at the figures globally the situation is not the case, because of increases in new infections in other countries.

HIV is becoming more and more womanized. Half of all HIV infections are in women and the trend seems to be that the percentage of HIV infected women is increasing especially among young women aged 14-25 years.

Voluntary counselling and HIV testing
HIV counseling and testing is central in increasing prevention and treatment and care services. Voluntary counseling and testing benefits are many. It normalizes HIV/AIDS and reduces stigma, facilitates referral to social and peer support, increases access to family planning services including condom provision and it promotes access to medical care for other infections and STIs, and to ARVs and preventative therapy for tuberculosis. Evidence shows that the political commitment to voluntary counseling and testing has increased.