As the International AIDS Conference gets underway this week in Munich, Germany, AIDS Healthcare Foundation reminds the world that AIDS is not over amid slowing progress on the pandemic and stubbornly high global mortality.

“Despite four decades of hard-won progress against HIV/AIDS, a staggering number of people still die of AIDS-related causes – 630,000 per year. Tragically, children and those most vulnerable are the least likely to be diagnosed early, to receive treatment, and to stay in care. Millions of people still don’t have access to lifesaving treatment, the rate of new infections is off target, and funding levels have stalled,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “We must do better to ensure the world doesn’t backslide on the promise of global AIDS control and keep complacency from setting in, and we must vigilantly keep pharma greed in check. We call on all countries, and especially the wealthy ones, to put an emphasis on seeing this struggle through to the end for the good of the world and future generations. The global AIDS fight is not over.”

There is a large body of evidence that shows investment in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic has far-reaching benefits beyond public health, such as economic growth, national security, and social stability.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 2 million clients in 47 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare

U.S. MEDIA CONTACT: Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications, AHF +1 323 308 1833 work +1.323.791.5526 mobile gedk@aidshealth.org

Denys Nazarov, Director of Global Policy & Communications, AHF +1.323.308.1829 denys.nazarov@ahf.org