HIV is an epidemic that treatments to wipe out the human capital of any economy. The disease has the potential to cripple economies, reduce productivity, and increase social problems. There are two approaches that can be used to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS upon a population: prevention and treatment. Prevention can target sexual pathways, non sexual pathways, or make each sexual activity less likely to transmit the disease. Treatment involves the use of Anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) to prevent the replication of HIV.
Global Overview
United Nations Joint HIV/ AIDS Programme (UNAIDS) estimated that in 2009, 33 million people were living with HIV, globally. This indicated a 27% increase from 26.2 million people in 1999.40 Out of the 15 million people living with HIV/ AIDS in low income countries, it is estimated that only 5.2 million have access to treatment.40 The increase in the accessibility of treatment has resulted in a 19% decrease in AIDS-related deaths between 2004 and 2009.40
Globally, in 2009, an estimated 2.6 million people were newly infected with HIV. This represents a 19% reduction from the 3.1 million people newly infected in 1999.40 Due to improvements and increases in the availability of treatment and anti retroviral medications the global number of annual AIDS-related deaths is steadily decreasing. It declined from 2.1 million in 2004 to an estimated 1.8 million in 2009.40
The absolute number of people living with HIV in the Caribbean is relatively small. UNAIDS estimated in 2009 that
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