Want more information about HIV/AIDS?

When the right funds and resources are made available, recovery is often extremely dramatic, even in children.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that, when within a cell in the body, produces new copies of itself.  With these new copies, HIV can infect other previously-healthy cells.  HIV can quickly spread through billions of cells in the body if it is not stopped from replicating.  Left unchecked, these HIV cells accumulate in the body to the point where they impair the body’s ability to fight off other infections.  Once this has occurred, the disease known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is present.  Antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV infection consists of drugs which work by slowing down the reproduction of HIV in the body and preventing AIDS from occurring.

Treatment (Anti-Retroviral Treatment) has been developed to prolong the lives of people living with HIV. Many famous people in the USA, like Magic Johnson, have lived for many years while being HIV-positive and using medication (when required). The cost of these treatments often puts them out of reach to those who need them the most.  Nine out of every ten people who need Anti-Retroviral Treatment—the majority of them in Southern Africa—are not receiving it.  If this low level of treatment coverage continues, five to six million people will die of AIDS in the next two years UNAIDS, 2004.

Your pledge will be used to purchase these treatments, which keep the virus under control and enable the children to live healthy lives. Without these treatments, most children will develop AIDS, and will be unable to lead the normal lives they deserve to live. Your pledge will help purchase life-prolonging (saving) treatment.

Global View

For more information, see our "World Report" Page.