| Abstract: | By the end of 1998, 33.4 million people worldwide were infected with HIV, 10% more than in 1997, and there were 2.5 million AIDS-related deaths. New estimates by the UN AIDS organization, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organization show that practically every country in the world has been affected by the pandemic. HIV prevalence in eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean currently appears to be concentrated in, but not limited to, marginalized groups. MAP (Monitoring the AIDS Pandemic), a network of experts with more than 120 members in 40 countries around the world, has estimated that more than 1.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean, or 5.4% of all HIV/AIDS cases worldwide in January 1998. Infection trends in the area differ both between and within countries. HIV in the region does, however, appear to be mainly in socially and economically marginalized populations, and is most noticeable among men who have sex with men and IV drug users. Evidence also exists that HIV is increasingly spreading among the poor and illiterate segments of society. Infection rates are rising among women, showing that heterosexual transmission is becoming more important. The Caribbean Regional Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS was created out of a 3-day consultation in Port of Spain, Trinidad, sponsored by a number of international organizations. That the number of HIV-positive people in the region is increasing should not be taken lightly. |
