Statistics show huge regional disparities

HIV/AIDS 2002: The following facts on the global AIDS epidemic were released by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) …

HIV/AIDS 2002: The following facts on the global AIDS epidemic were released by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) ahead of World AIDS Day on Sunday.

Number of people living with HIV/AIDS IN 2002: Global total: 42 million, of which: adults, 38.6 million (women: 19.2 million); children under 15 years: 3.2 million. Regional totals for 2002: Sub-Saharan Africa: 29.4 million; South and South-East Asia: 6.0 million; East Asia and Pacific: 1.2 million; Eastern Europe and Central Asia: 1.2 million; Latin America: 1.5 million; North Africa and Middle East 550,000; Caribbean: 440,000; North America: 980,000; Western Europe: 570,000: Australia and New Zealand: 15,000.

New HIV infections in 2002: global total: five million, of which: 4.2 million adults (women: 2 million); children under 15: 800,000. Regional totals for 2002: Sub-Saharan Africa: 3.5 million; South and South-East Asia: 700,000; East Asia and Pacific: 270,000; Eastern Europe and Central Asia: 250,000; Latin America: 150,000; North Africa and Middle East: 83,000; Caribbean: 60,000; North America: 45,000; Western Europe: 30,000; Australia and New Zealand: 500.

AIDS deaths in 2002: global total: 3.1 million, of which: 2.5 million adults (1.2 million women); children under 15: 610,000. Regional totals for 2002: Sub-Saharan Africa: 2.4 million; South and South-East Asia: 440,000; East Asia and Pacific: 45,000; Eastern Europe and Central Asia: 25,000; Latin America: 60,000; North Africa and Middle East: 37,000; Caribbean: 42,000; North America: 15,000; Western Europe: 8,000; Australia and New Zealand: fewer than 100.