Antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV/Aids. Photograph: Krista Kennell/ZUMA/Corbis

The United Nations hailed a breakthrough in the fight against Aids with the release of figures showing that the prevalence of HIV has fallen among young people in 15 of the most affected countries.

The news was even better in 12 of those countries, where HIV levels have decreased by 25% among 15- to 24-year-olds. This in response, UNAids believes, to dogged prevention campaigns warning of the dangers of HIV/Aids and the need for people to change their sexual behaviour.

The head of UNAids, which released the report ahead of next week’s International Aids conference in Vienna, said young people were leading a badly needed prevention revolution. But a change in tack was needed in the battle against the virus. ”We are at the defining moment now, where we need to reshape completely the Aids response,” said Michel Sidibé. Rising treatment costs for HIV and the global economic crisis means “the world is demanding change. We cannot continue with the same response. It is not sustainable. It is very clear from public opinion region by region that Aids continues to be a top priority, but they are calling for a paradigm shift.”

Read full article by Sarah Boseley (Guardian UK)

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