The number of HIV/AIDS in Asia is increasing at an alarming speed and, according to a latest report its rate has increased to 7.6 percent in 2006. HIV/AIDS is not a single disease while it is the condition of the human body in which the immune system of a patient is seriously damaged because of persistent attack of the HIV/AIDS virus.
According to the latest available data, total deaths caused by AIDS in Asia in 2003 were 420,000 while the number grew to 520,000 in 2005 showing an increase of 19.2 percent. But in 2006, the deaths are 563,000 that is 7.6 percent more than the last year (2006).
Moreover, the number of living HIV patients in 2003 was 7.1 million in 2006 while it was 8.3 million in 2005 showing an increase of 14 percent as compared to the last year. Whereas in 2006, the total number of HIV victims grew up to 8.5 million with 2percent increase in the number in 2006 as compared to 2005.
The cases of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan have been estimated around 70,000 to 80,000 in the recent national statistics. A majority of the patients are adults while the total number of women patients is 14,000.
Although HIV prevalence rate of 0.1% of the adult population in Pakistan is relatively low, yet the threat is significant because of the prevalent risk factors.