Facts about HIV/AIDS

  • HIV/AIDS is now the fourth biggest cause of death in the world.
  • Of the 33 million people living with HIV in the world in 2007, 2 million were children under 15.
  • In 2007, approximately 370,000 children were newly infected with HIV.
  • 45% of new infections occur in young people aged 15-24
  • From the beginning of the epidemic up to 2008, an estimated 25 million people had died of HIV-related causes
  • Nine out of ten children with HIV or AIDS are African.
  • More than 15 million children under 15 have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
  • HIV/AIDS is spreading the fastest in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
  • In some countries, up to 90 per cent of people who are HIV positive do not know they carry the virus.
  • India is home to the world’s second largest HIV-positive population. 
  • Education has proven to be the surest way to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS throughout the world.  Young people are the most likely to listen and then to protect themselves.
Some progress is being made:
  • In low and middle income countries, the proportion of HIV positive pregnant women receiving antiretroviral treatment to prevent transmission to their children has increased from 10% in 2004 to 33% in 2007.
  • In low and middle incrome countries, 200,000 HIV-positive children received antiretroviral treatment in 2007, compared with 75,000 in 2005.
All facts taken from the International UNICEF website.