Despite scaled-up antiretroviral treatment, AIDS remains the top killer in Africa, said Peter Piot

Addis Ababa 1 April 2008 (ECA) - Despite the tremendous advances in the provision of antiretroviral therapy in recent years, AIDS continues to be the leading cause of death for African adults, ahead of malaria, TB and pneumonia, said the Director of UNAIDS, Dr. Peter Piot yesterday in Addis Ababa.

In an address to the joint ECA/AU conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economic development, Dr. Piot said “The implications for development are all too clear: AIDS increases demands for state spending on health and welfare and at the same time depletes the workforce, reducing governments' ability to raise taxes , in some countries by 20 per cent.”

He said research had shown that in some severely affected African countries, AIDS could reduce annual DGP growth by up to 1.5 percent over the short to medium term.

Dr. Piot said contrary to the belief that AIDS is a diseases of poverty, “it is foremost a disease of inequality”, adding that countries with the highest unequal income distribution also have the highest HIV prevalence.

In addition, said Dr. Piot, HIV incidence in Africa has tended to most concentrated among wealthier and more educated groups with serious implications for the skills base. Citing studies in eight African studies, Dr. Piot said HIV prevalence is highest among the wealthiest men and women.

But he said while AIDS kills about 6000 people daily and is emerging as a long-wave event, there is a lot of good news in Africa.

He said many African countries have made real progress on HIV treatment, having put about 2 million of the 7 million Africans who need treatment on antiretroviral treatment. “Countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Rwanda have almost reached universal access to antiretroviral treatment,” said Piot.