President Barack Obama on Thursday
announced that the United States is on track to treating 6 million
people living with HIV by the end of 2013.
The president made the announcement in
a statement marking World AIDS Day.
“This Saturday, December 1st, on
World AIDS Day, we will come together as a global community to stand
with people affected by HIV/AIDS, to remember those we have lost, and
to renew our commitment to ending the pandemic once and for all. We
have made great strides in combating this disease, and an AIDS-free
generation is within sight. Here in the United States we are
implementing a National HIV/AIDS Strategy and concentrating our
efforts in communities where HIV rates are highest, including among
gay men, Latinos, and African Americans. We are investing in
comprehensive HIV prevention and care, including through the
Affordable Care Act, to prevent infection and ensure that all people
living with HIV have access to life-extending treatment. Testing for
HIV remains a top priority, and thanks to ongoing scientific
advancements, finding out your HIV status has never been easier and
treatment is more effective than ever.”
“Today, I am pleased my
Administration will make public new data that demonstrates we are on
track to meet the ambitious treatment and prevention targets I
announced on World AIDS Day a year ago. As of today, we are treating
over 5 million people with lifesaving medicines for AIDS, up from 1.7
million in 2008, and, as I pledged last year, we are on track to
treat 6 million people by the end of 2013. This year, we have also
reached over 700,000 HIV-positive pregnant women with antiretroviral
drugs that will prevent them from passing the virus to their
children. As we meet these new targets, we are joined by a growing
number of countries and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria, who share our commitment to doing more so that more may
live. As we continue this important work with our partners around
the world and here at home, let us remember the lives we have lost to
AIDS, celebrate the progress we have made, and, together, recommit to
ourselves to achieving our shared vision of an AIDS-free generation.”