The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS, or UNAIDS, the main advocate for global action on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has announced that its goal of treating 15 million people on life saving HIV treatment has been met nine months ahead of schedule. It also reported that the world AIDS targets of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 6 is on track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. new HIV infections have fallen by 35 per cent and AIDS related deaths by 41 per cent. A sand sculpture created by Indian sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik to create awareness about AIDS ahead of World AIDS Day on a beach in Puri, Odisha | Source: PTI

“The world has delivered on halting and reversing the AIDS epidemic,” said Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general of the United Nations. “Now we must commit to ending the AIDS epidemic as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

A report by the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, released in Addis Ababa demonstrates that the response to HIV has been one of the smartest investments in global health and development, generating measurable results for people and economies.

A file photo of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Ethopia | Source: UN Aids

Here are some of the high points of the report which aims for a world wide end to this epidemic :

Between 2000 and 2014, new HIV infections dropped from 3.1 million to 2 million, a reduction of 35 per cent
In 2014, 83 countries, which account for 83 per cent of AIDS affected population have played a key role in reducing HIV infection

South Africans demonstrate in support of a campaign | Source: The Guardian