On World AIDS Day 2009, South African President Jacob Zuma has pledged to help children with HIV.

On World AIDS Day 2009, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has announced that the country will treat all babies under the age of one who test HIV positive – and he has also pledged to again take the HIV test himself.

According to UNAIDS, in 2007 there were around 7.5 million people living with HIV in South Africa, which is the world’s largest population of people living with the virus. Avert, an international AIDS charity, estimates that one in three women aged 25-29 are living with HIV in South Africa, and that mother-to-child transmission is one of the main infection routes.

President Zuma said: “Our message is simple. We have to stop the spread of HIV. We must reduce the rate of new infections. Prevention is our most powerful weapon against the epidemic.

“To take our response a step forward, we are launching a massive [voluntary] campaign to mobilise all South Africans to get tested for HIV. Every South African should know his or her HIV status.”

Globally, there are 7,400 new infections recorded every day – 33.4 million people are affected in total (80,000 in the UK). However, over the last eight years there has been a global downward trend of 17% in the rate of new infections – a decrease that has not been reflected in UK statistics.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust), said: “Worryingly, the global decrease in new infections is not being seen in the UK. Here new diagnoses have trebled in the past ten years. HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men in the UK rose by 74% between 2000 and 2007.

“The UK needs to re-prioritise HIV prevention among gay men, otherwise we risk falling further behind.”

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. It can develop into AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) when the immune system is so weak it can no longer defend itself from a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

There is no cure for HIV, however there is treatment in the form of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to prevent the development of AIDS by stopping the virus being made in the body, and therefore stopping the virus damaging the immune system. The drugs cannot, however, eradicate HIV from the body and so treatment for HIV is a lifelong issue.

World AIDS Day was launched on 1 December 1988 with the aim to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education. Find out more by visiting the World AIDS Day website.