1996-2007: Advancement

Before 1996, an HIV diagnosis left people with few options with no known cure or effective treatment. The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was a major breakthrough and gave hope to millions of people living with HIV around the world. Those who had access to HAART saw their life expectancy increase by an average of 15 years – unheard of at the time.

Throughout this period, a number of scientific advancements continued to dramatically improve the lives of people living with HIV and of the communities most affected by the epidemic. Beyond HAART, other treatment advances and the development of viral load monitoring and rapid tests for HIV transformed diagnosis and treatment.

AVERT goes digital

AVERT launches its first website.

Grandmas in sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, relatives carry the burden of care for children and the sick.

Thailand's war on drugs

Protests at the 2004 AIDS conference highlight the Thai government's repression of people who inject drugs, driving them away from prevention services

DATA: Botswana PMTCT

Botswana rolls out a national programme to prevent pregnant women living with HIV from passing the virus to their child.

DATA: HIV infections averted by PMTCT programmes

Between 2000 and 2014, an estimated 1.3 million new HIV infections have been averted by prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes in all low- and middle-income countries.

DATA: New infections in children

New HIV infections among children peaked at half a million in 2001. The advent of antiretroviral treatment and the roll-out of prevention of mother-to-child transmission programmes has cut the number of new infections.

DATA: HIV in the Ukraine

Like many countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the HIV epidemic is largely driven by injecting drug use. But an active civil society in the Ukraine has had major success in turning around the epidemic among people who inject drugs.

DATA: Generic competition affects drug prices

In 2001, Indian generic drug manufacturer Cipla announces that it will sell a generic copy of a triple-therapy antiretroviral (ARV) for US $350 per patient per year. This has an incredible impact.

DATA: South Africa life expectancy

Average life expectancy across many parts of sub-Saharan Africa plummets as a result of the HIV epidemic. But after generics become available, countries start antiretroviral programmes which bring about improvements in life expectancy.

USA funding row

Brazil turns down funding from the USA, which demands a stance against prostitution.

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