South Africa's national Aids Helpline offers multi-lingual, 24-hour, toll-free assistance by trained counsellors accessing the most current data available through a computerised call centre.

AIDS HELPLINES

HIV / Aids

The thought of contracting HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), is frightening as the disease is presently incurable, has a high mortality rate, spreads quickly and there is presently no vaccine to protect against it.

AIDS has killed so many people that it is considered to be one of the worst pandemics the world has ever known.  HIV was first discovered in 1981 in a remote area of central Africa, although studies of previously stored blood samples indicate that the virus entered the U.S. population sometime in the late 1970s.

HIV has since swept across the globe, infecting millions in a relatively short period of time.  As of December 2003, an estimated 38 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).  The number of accumulative AIDS-associated deaths worldwide had at this time reached over 20 million. Globally in 2003, approximately 5 million new HIV infections and approximately 3 million AIDS-related deaths occurred.

AIDS has killed so many people that it is considered to be one of the worst pandemics the world has ever known.  HIV was first discovered in 1981 in a remote area of central Africa, although studies of previously stored blood samples indicate that the virus entered the U.S. population sometime in the late 1970s.

HIV has since swept across the globe, infecting millions in a relatively short period of time.  As of December 2003, an estimated 38 million people were living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).  The number of accumulative AIDS-associated deaths worldwide had at this time reached over 20 million. Globally in 2003, approximately 5 million new HIV infections and approximately 3 million AIDS-related deaths occurred.

1983/84 - American and French scientists each claim discovery of the virus that will later be called HIV.
1985 - The FDA approves the first HIV antibody test for blood supplies.
1991 - Basketball star Magic Johnson announces that he is HIV-positive.
1996 - FDA approves first protease inhibitors.
1999 - An estimated 650,000 to 900,000 Americans living with HIV/AIDS.
2002 - AIDS global death toll reaches 20 million.
2003 (December) - an estimated 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS
2003 (December) - 5,3 million people in South Africa living with HIV/AIDS

Page 1