An estimated 33 million people were living with HIV and 14 million people had died from AIDS since the start of the epidemic.70 In July, UNAIDS negotiated with five pharmaceutical companies to reduce antiretroviral drug prices for developing countries.71 In September, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals which included a specific goal to reverse the spread of HIV, malaria and TB.72 In June 2001, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly called for the creation of a "global fund" to support efforts by countries and organisations to combat the spread of HIV through prevention, treatment and care including buying medication.73 After generic drug manufacturers, such as Cipla in India, began producing discounted, generic forms of HIV medicines for developing countries, several major pharmaceutical manufacturers agreed to further reduce drug prices.
In November, the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced the Doha Declaration which allowed developing countries to manufacture generic medications to combat public health crises like HIV.74 In April 2002, the Global Fund approved its first round of grants totalling $600 million.75 In July, UNAIDS reported that AIDS was now by far the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa.76 Also in July, South Africa’s Constitutional Court orders the government to make the HIV drug nevirapine available to all HIV-positive pregnant women and their newborn children following a legal challenge by the Treatment Action Campaign.
HIV was unknown and transmission was not accompanied by noticeable signs or symptoms.
While sporadic cases of AIDS were documented prior to 1970, available data suggests that the current epidemic started in the mid- to late 1970s.
KEY POINTS: The history of the HIV and AIDS epidemic began in illness, fear and death as the world faced a new and unknown virus.