Dear Friends,
Doom and gloom have been the order of the day as the global recession has spread a
blanket of hardship over much of the world. Remarkably a ray of hope and sunshine has
come from an unexpected quarter – HIV/AIDS. There is no cure – yet, there is no
vaccine – yet. But treatment is available. HIV is treatable, it can be managed. Lives
can be saved, children need not be orphans, parents can continue to provide for their
families. The hopelessness of the past can be transformed into hope for the future.

World Health Organization(WHO) is releasing new recommendations on treatment, prevention and infant feeding in the context of HIV, based on the latest scientific evidence.

WHO now recommends earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adults and adolescents, the delivery of more patient-friendly antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), and prolonged use of ARVs to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. For the first time, WHO recommends that HIV-positive mothers or their infants take ARVs while breastfeeding to prevent HIV transmission.

When one of our fellow citizens becomes infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) every nine-and-a-half minutes, the epidemic affects all Americans. It has been nearly thirty years since the first cases of HIV garnered the world’s attention. Without treatment, the virus slowly debilitates a person’s immune system until they succumb to illness. The epidemic has claimed the lives of nearly 600,000 Americans and affects many more.1 Our Nation is at a crossroads. We have the knowledge and tools needed to slow the spread of HIV infection and improve the health of people living with HIV.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV worldwide, accounting for over two thirds (67%) of all people living with HIV and for nearly three quarters (72%) of AIDS-related deaths in 2009.