1st December, 2005

More than three million people died of AIDS-related illnesses this year including more than 500,000 children, according to the latest data from UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation.

In their joint annual report on AIDS, the organisations also revealed that the number of people living with HIV has reached as many as 40.3 million people with an additional five million new infections during the past year.

Yet there is some good news. The report - released late last month ahead of World AIDS Day on 1st December - also shows that adult HIV infection rates have decreased in Kenya, Zimbabwe and some Caribbean countries (including Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominican Republic and Haiti) over the past few years and that there is evidence changes to behaviour to prevent infection - including delaying the first sexual experience, increased use of condoms and fewer sexual partners - have played a key role in the decline.

The steepest increases in HIV infections were seen in eastern Europe, cental and east Asia while sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected region of the earth with 64 per cent new infections occurring here - a figure which equates to more than three million people.

The report estimates that 250,000 to 350,000 deaths were averted in 2005 thanks to better access to HIV treatment.

- DAVID ADAMS