Target 7: Have halved by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
Target 8: Halve halved by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases
Prospects and Progress
There has been increased donor focus on HIV, and to some extent malaria and other diseases, as well as major new multilateral initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, which by 2007 had committed $7.6 billion to fight these diseases in 136 countries. This renewed focus has brought tuberculosis infection rates down in all regions (though it still causes 2 million deaths each year). It has also led to a tenfold increase in distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets between 2000 and 2005 in Africa (where 95% of malaria deaths occur).
Much more needs to be done, though, particularly to fight HIV. HIV prevalence rates rose in every region through to 2006, except for Sub-Saharan Africa, where, tragically, AIDS deaths roughly matched the number of new infections. And although the number of AIDS patients in developing countries receiving anti-retroviral treatment increased from around 240,000 in 2001 to over 2 million by the end of 2006, this still represents only a quarter of patients who needed treatment.
