US Health Officials Release New Goals to Reduce Deaths of People With HIV

A new strategic plan for fighting against AIDS by setting new goals to reduce infections and deaths has been updated by the US health officials.The new document "seizes on the rapid shifts in science as we've learned more about this disease," said President Barack Obama.

“The revisions to this critical national strategy come at a crucial time in the fight to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic,” said David Stacy, HRC Government Affairs Director. “While HIV affects Americans from all walks of life, gay and bisexual men, transgender women, youth, and communities of color are disproportionately affected, particularly in the South. Achieving an AIDS-free generation is within our grasp, and Congress must ensure the Obama Administration has the vital resources it needs to meet the strategy’s achievable goals.”

The new developments include new diagnostic tests, intake of a pill daily for preventing infection and also increasing more individuals with health insurance. The new goals for 2020 includes reducing the death rate among HIV-diagnosed people by one-third and controlling the infection through medication.

In 2012 - 2013 early diagnosed people with HIV who got specialized medical care increased from 70 to73 %. But the proportion of people with diagnosed HIV who are homeless rose slightly from 2000 to 2012, to more than 8%.

Though AIDS was identified more than 30 years ago only the recent statistics was available where in about 1.2 million Americans were living with HIV in 2012.

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Source-Medindia