UN-BACKED FUND REACHES OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WITH AIDS TREATMENT

More than 2 million people living with HIV have been reached with life-saving treatment thanks to the United Nations-backed Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, marking a 30 per cent jump from last year.

Results released today show that on top of the 2.3 million people receiving anti-retroviral medicines for AIDS, Global Fund-backed schemes have also provided 5.4 million people with effective treatment for TB, the leading cause of death among HIV-infected people.

Further, the Fund reported success in the fight against malaria, with 88 million insecticide-treated bednets delivered to families, up from 59 million nets last year.

"In less than eight years, the Global Fund has gone from a concept to a driver of change," said Executive Director Michel Kazatchkine. "When we first began our work in 2002, few people in developing countries were being treated for AIDS or tuberculosis. Malaria was a neglected disease. Many countries simply did not have the resources to fight these diseases effectively."

But now, "the story is changing dramatically," he said, adding that while greater efforts are needed, "real progress" against the diseases has been made.

The information released today combined data from Global Fund-supported initiatives in 140 countries, and showed, among other things, that nearly 80 million people have been reached by HIV counselling and testing, almost 4 million AIDS orphans and vulnerable children have been provided with basic care and support, and 1.4 billion condoms have been distributed worldwide.
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