On World AIDS Day, we celebrate the progress that has been made in fighting this deadly disease. This year's theme―Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero deaths from AIDS-related illness―recognizes that although getting to zero sounds difficult, significant progress is being achieved.
Unprecedented global efforts are yielding results. The new infection rate has been cut in half in 25 countries since 2001. In addition, 50 percent of the global reduction in new HIV infections in the last two years has been among newborn children, and the number of people with access to treatment has increased by 63 percent during the last two years.
Nevertheless, 34 million people around the world live with HIV. In 2011, 2.5 million new infections were reported, and 1.7 million people died from AIDS-related deaths. HIV is the leading cause of death of women of reproductive age in the developing world. Infection rates are twice as high as for men. Women's ability to protect themselves continues to be compromised by physiological factors, gender inequality, insufficient access to health care and services, and discrimination and violence.
Over the years, this epidemic has left more than 16 million children orphaned and vulnerable. The economic burden of HIV/AIDS is devastating, stripping families of their assets and breadwinners, and further impoverishing the poor.
Canada recognizes the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its impact on developing countries. Through its support for HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs, Canada continues to be an active player in global efforts to address HIV/AIDS.
Through its support for HIV prevention, treatment, and care programs, Canada has helped to diagnose and treat millions of HIV cases and to prevent millions of death from this devastating disease . CIDA supports the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Global Fund programs are estimated to have prevented 8.7 million deaths from the three diseases since 2002 and to have provided AIDS treatment for 3.6 million people.
Preventing the transmission of HIV from mothers to children is one important part of CIDA's efforts. For example, in Zimbabwe, the Agency has helped increase testing among infants exposed to HIV from 4 percent in 2009 to 31 percent in 2011.
CIDA is also one of five government departments working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative to help develop an affordable and globally accessible HIV vaccine.
Sustained efforts are needed to continue the fight to end AIDS. I am proud that Canada continues to be an active player in efforts to meet that challenge.
Julian Fantino
Minister of International Cooperation