Fighting AIDS

Fighting AIDS

Johannesburg, South Africa
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On World AIDS Day on December 1, a leading campaign group fighting HIV says the world has finally reached "the beginning of the end" of the pandemic that has infected and killed millions in the past 30 years.

But despite the good news, the ONE campaign warned that reaching this milestone did not mean the end of AIDS was around the corner, and some countries still had a long way to go.

. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

South Africa has one of the world's heaviest HIV/AIDS case loads and its biggest treatment program. But despite government efforts to spread the treatment, medical charities have warned that many clinics were running out of the life-saving drugs.

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is spread via blood, semen and breast milk. There is no cure for the infection, but AIDS can be kept at bay for many years with cocktails of antiretroviral drugs.

The Nkosi's Haven NGO, south of Johannesburg, pictured above, provides residential care for destitute HIV-positive mothers and their children, whether HIV-positive or not.

. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

The United Nations AIDS agency, UNAIDS, says that, by June 2014, some 13.6 million people globally had access to AIDS drugs, a dramatic improvement on the 5 million who were getting treatment in 2010.

Still, Erin Hohlfelder, ONE's director of global health policy, said not all countries were there yet, and the gains made could easily stall or unravel.

“Despite the good news, we should not take a victory lap yet,” she said.

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Slideshow

Names of patients are seen on pill cases at Nkosi's Haven.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Names of patients are seen on pill cases at Nkosi's Haven.

A child uses a syringe to take her medication.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. SREUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

A child uses a syringe to take her medication.

A girl lies down after taking her medication.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

A girl lies down after taking her medication.

Nine-year-old Tumelo holds antiretroviral pills before taking his medication.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Nine-year-old Tumelo holds antiretroviral pills before taking his medication.

A girl covered by her jacket takes her medication.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

A girl covered by her jacket takes her medication.

A woman prepares to serve breakfast.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

A woman prepares to serve breakfast.

Children eat breakfast before attending class at Nkosi's Haven.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Children eat breakfast before attending class at Nkosi's Haven.

Children play at Nkosi's Haven.
. Johannesburg, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Children play at Nkosi's Haven.

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