The overall annual death rate from AIDS has fallen by 21% since 2006, the most recent study in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) series shows. However, while a number of countries with large HIV burdens have significantly reduced the epidemic’s death and disability toll, there is huge disparity in achievement between different regions and neighbouring nations.
The report also finds that in 22% of the 182 countries with documented cases of AIDS, AIDS-related mortality and HIV-related disability is still rising. In most cases this is because the countries still have very low prevalence or in some cases, HIV has arrived very late.
Yet there are several countries, most notably Russia, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), that have high AIDS mortality and large numbers of cases but where there is little sign of mortality falling. One the other hand, it finds that there are still eight countres in the world – small, mainly Pacific nations – that have never recorded a case of AIDS.
Gus Cairns
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