Sobering Statistics About AIDs

1. Worst Epidemic in History: In the fourteenth century, the Black Death struck Europe, wiping out a third of the population. Early in the twentieth century, influenza killed 30 million people in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Today, a new and terrible epidemic is ravaging Africa. If nothing is done, an estimated 55 million Africans will die an early death from AIDS by 2020”.
2. Worst Health Problem in the World: “HIV/AIDS is arguably the worst health problem facing the world UNAIDS/WHO estimated in December 2003 that 34-46 million people were living with the virus. Of these, 4.2-5.8 million had been infected in the previous year. Approximately 10 men, women and children were infected with HIV every minute in 2003. More than 23 million people have lost their lives to the virus, an estimated 2.5-3.5 million in the last year alone” (p.12).
3. One of the Seven top diseases in Africa and Southeast Asia: “In 2001, nearly two-thirds of all deaths among children and young adults (0-44 years) in Africa and Southeast Asia were due to seven diseases: AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea diseases, measles, acute respiratory infections, and maternal/prenatal conditions. The combined death toll from AIDS, TB, and malaria alone was roughly 6 million for the year, including infants, young children, mothers, and fathers in their productive years of life”.
4. 40,000,000 AIDS Orphans by 2010: “Current estimates indicate that there could be as many as 40 million orphans due to HIV/AIDS by the year 2010. This number does not include those who are caring for parents who are chronically ill due to HIV/AIDS”.
5. Widows and Orphans: “…the AIDS epidemic, a scourge that already has killed 25 million people, robbed 14 million children of parents, and turned 10 million wives into widows-many of them sick and desperate to find someone to care for their children when they die, too” (p.247).
   

Source:
The Hope Factor: Engaging the Church in the HIV/AIDS Crisis. Ed: Yamamori, Tetsunao, David Dageforde, and Tina Bruner. Federal Way, WA: Authentic Media/World Vision (A division of OM), 2003.