A new United Nations report
says AIDS-related deaths in Africa are falling while the number of Africans getting treatment for the AIDS virus is on the rise.
The report from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS says the number of people in Africa who receive anti-retroviral drugs increased from less than 1 million in 2005 to more than 7 million last year.
It says AIDS-related deaths fell by nearly a third during that same period, and that new HIV infections are also falling.
Many African countries have taken steps over the past decade to ensure that at least some of their HIV patients have access to treatment.
The report, released Tuesday, notes that Africa continues to be affected by HIV more than any other region in the world. It says the continent accounts for nearly 70 percent of people living with the virus worldwide.
It also notes that in 2011, there were still 1.8 million new HIV infections in Africa, and 1.2 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.