AIDS has become one of the most destructive epidemics in history with 40.3 million people living with HIV, more than 3 million deaths caused by illnesses related to AIDS and five million new infected people in 2005.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 7 of every 100 adults live with HIV. In some areas, these numbers increase up to 20. Even though, the prevalence seems to have stabilized. In fact, the number of deaths caused by AIDS is growing and is comparable to the number of new infections.
Approximately, half of the infected people are women, and this percentage is increasing because women and girls, for physiological causes and lack of negotiation power in sexual relationships, are more vulnerable to the HIV infection.
15 million children under 15 lost one of their parents to AIDS in 2003.
Antiretroviral treatment only covers 12% of the people who could be treated.
Malaria is endemic in many countries and it affects approximately 500 million people every year.
Pregnant women and their fetus are especially vulnerable to this illness. In 2002, 800,000 children under five died because of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Those who survive can suffer after-effects on their mental and physical development.
Since the 1990's, prevention and treatment measures have improved and extended. Among the most effective prevention methods, we can find the use of anti-mosquito nets treated with insecticide and distributed free of charge by the United Nations. The distribution has multiplied by ten since the year 2000. But still, only 2% of children under five sleeps under one of these anti-mosquito nets.
Treatment-wise, during the last five years more than 40 countries have modified their malaria-treatment protocols, facilitating access to combinations of drugs based on artemisina - which are more effective against malaria - and promoting their use.
Tuberculosis causes yearly the death of 1.7 million people, most of them being in the most productive period of their life.
The occurrence of strains of the bacteria resistant to drugs, the increase in the number of people co-infected by HIV (more vulnerable to the illness) and the increasing number of refugees and displaced people has contributed to the propagation of tuberculosis.
The Direct Observation Treatment (DOTS) contributes to the success in the control of tuberculosis. This protocol, internationally accepted, cures 80% of the patients treated. Even though, the detection mechanism should be reinforced, as today less than half of the cases are recorded.
Other than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, other tropical diseases affect the population in developing countries. They can be parasitic, infectious, bacterial or chronic.
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