‘€œThe biggest epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa’€”Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe’€”have either stabilised or are showing signs of decline,’€ according to the report.

In the past five years, antiretroviral treatment has had a ‘€œprofound effect’€ on mortality rate, with AIDS-related deaths having decreased by 18 percent in southern Africa. Botswana, which has the region’€™s most successful ARV programme, has cut its AIDS deaths in half.

‘€œIn 2009 alone, 1.2 million people received HIV antiretroviral therapy for the first time’€”an increase in the number of people receiving treatment of 30% in a single year,’€ says UNAIDS.

The ARV roll-out in sub-Saharan Africa has been rapid, reaching almost one in four people who need it. Seven years ago, only 2 percent of people in the region were on ARVs.

In Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland, coverage of antiretrovirals for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV reached more than 80%.

This is good news for babies, with an estimated 370 000 newborns getting HIV in 2009 as opposed to 500 000 in 2001.

In 33 countries, HIV incidence has fallen by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009. Of these countries 22 are in sub-Saharan Africa.

In contrast, however, in parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including the Ukraine, Russia and Uzbekistan, HIV incidence has increased by more than 25% between 2001 and 2009. Drug addicts sharing needles is believed to be the main reason for the rapid spread of HIV in this region.

Despite the good news, sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear the brunt of the epidemic. Of the 33.3 million people living with HIV in the world, almost seven out of 10 (22.5 million) live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Of the estimated 1.8 million people who died of HIV-related illnesses worldwide, 1.3 million (72 percent) lived in sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa still has the biggest HIV positive population in the world, with an estimated 5.6 million people living with HIV in 2009, South Africa’€™s epidemic remains the largest in the world.

However, Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, with over a quarter of adults (25.9 percent) living with HIV.

But, warns the UNAIDS, ‘€œfor the estimated 33.3 million people living with HIV after nearly 30 years into a very complex epidemic, the gains are real but still fragile.

‘€œTen million people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment under the new WHO guidelines are still in need.’€

Women are still most affected by HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. The most recent prevalence data show that 13 women in sub-Saharan Africa become infected with HIV for every 10 men.