World AIDS Day 2017
December 1, 2017
Dear Colleagues,
December 1 is World AIDS Day, and it is an opportunity for the global community to renew its promise of an AIDS-free generation. This year’s theme is “Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships.”
Working on the frontlines in the fight against HIV, we at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for Global Health are keenly aware of the impact that our daily efforts have around the globe. Today is the day when the world joins us to reflect on the global HIV epidemic, remember those who have been lost to the disease, and recommit to an accelerated, efficient, and effective response
This year’s theme challenges us to work together to accelerate progress toward ending HIV as a public health threat around the world. Since the beginning of the epidemic, partnerships among governments, multilateral institutions, the private sector, community-based organizations, and many others have been key to the programs and scientific achievements that have brought us to this moment.
The end of HIV/AIDS as a global public health threat is finally in sight—and this is, in large part, thanks to the U.S. government, through U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has helped not only save and improve millions of lives but has also transformed the global HIV/AIDS response.
On this World AIDS Day, CDC is releasing new data affirming that global efforts to end HIV are working.
- As of September 30, 2017, CDC supported 35% of all people on antiretroviral treatment worldwide, including 7.3 million of the 13.3 million total individuals supported by PEPFAR.
- As of September 30, 2017, CDC, as part of PEPFAR, supported life-saving antiretroviral treatment for more than 388,000 children under the age of 15 around the world.
- CDC supported 7.5 million voluntary medical male circumcision procedures in Eastern and Southern Africa to reduce the risk of HIV transmission, representing 49% of PEPFAR’s more than 15.2 million circumcisions in these areas to date.
- The latest data from the CDC-supported Population-based HIV Impact Assessments (PHIAs) show that Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are approaching control of their HIV epidemics.
All of these examples are remarkable and demonstrate the progress we have made over the last few years, but perhaps none is as dramatic as the last one: data show that five high-burden countries are approaching control of their epidemics. Epidemic control seemed unthinkable in 2003 when PEPFAR started, but now it is an achievement that is within reach.
We urgently need to do more. We cannot stop now.
Recent data demonstrate strong progress against HIV, but achieving epidemic control requires focusing on those groups at greatest risk for transmitting and acquiring the virus. CDC and partners are on the front lines working to accelerate efforts to reach the most vulnerable populations with targeted HIV prevention and treatment.
Achieving HIV epidemic control and saving lives is not easy work. Essential, meaningful, important work never is. But the path, with its unmistakable end, is clearly before us, so on this World AIDS Day 2017, let us recommit ourselves to the goal we are working together to achieve.
We hope that on this World AIDS Day you are as proud of these accomplishments as we are — and just as inspired to keep going.
To learn more about global HIV efforts, visit DGHT’s World AIDS Day landing page.
Sincerely,
/Rebecca Martin/
Rebecca Martin, PhD Director,
Center for Global Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/globalhealth
/Hank Tomlinson/
Hank Tomlinson, PhD Acting Director,
Division of Global HIV & TB
Center for Global Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/globalhivtb
