HIV/AIDS in the world today - a Summary of Trends and Demographic Implications

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is now close to two decades old, and will be with us well into the 21st century. In the most affected areas, it has progressed in unforeseen ways, and now advances much more rapidly in Southern Africa than was predicted. This fact is evidence of the difficulties in predicting its future course. It also emphasises the need for continuous assessments of the progress and character of the epidemic in local and national settings.