Global HIV/AIDS at CDC - Overview

CDC plays a unique role in the fight against global HIV/AIDS

Global HIV/AIDS
Today, an estimated 35 million people worldwide live with HIV/AIDS, with more than two-thirds living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly three-fourths of the 2.1 million new HIV infections in 2013 occurred in these countries.
 

CDC’s Role
CDC provides support to more than 60 countries (see countries where we work) to strengthen their national HIV/AIDS programs and build sustainable systems through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
 

Public Health Impact

CDC uses science to save lives and, through PEPFAR, has helped support

• Life-saving antiretroviral treatment for 7.7 million men, women, and children*
• Care and support for more than
  5 million orphans and vulnerable children**
• Voluntary medical male circumcision procedures for more than
  6.5 million men*
• Training for more than 140,000 new healthcare workers*
• HIV testing and counseling for more than 56.7 million people**
• HIV testing and counseling for more than 14.2 million pregnant women, and antiretroviral medications for the 749,313 women who tested positive to prevent mother-to-child transmission**

* As of September 30, 2014
**FY 2014

SOURCE - PEPFAR

Download our Overview Fact Sheet.

As the U.S. science-based public health and disease prevention agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plays an essential role in implementing the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR is the cornerstone of the U.S. Global Health Initiative.

CDC uses its technical expertise in public health science and long-standing relationships with Ministries of Health across the globe to work side-by-side with countries to build strong national programs and sustainable public health systems that can respond effectively to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and to other diseases that threaten the health and prosperity of the global community at large.

Ensuring global health strengthens U.S. health, economic, and national security. Improving the health of people in developing countries also impacts the productivity and political stability of those nations. This results in a safer, more prosperous, and secure world community that benefits Americans at home and abroad.

Unmatched scientific and technical expertise

With over 60 years of expertise in epidemiology, surveillance, laboratory systems, and public health services, CDC works with Ministries of Health to strengthen their national HIV/AIDS programs by:

• Leveraging CDC’s scientific and technical expertise to conduct research and translate findings into innovative programs and to assist countries in building capacity for data-driven decision making that maximizes disease impact and cost effectiveness.

• Establishing and strengthening public health systems and services including high quality laboratories and surveillance systems for rapid detection and response to HIV and other emerging global health threats.

Critical leadership for transitioning sustainable programs to country ownership

CDC works side-by-side with Ministries of Health in 44 countries to build their capacity to lead and manage their national HIV/AIDS programs by:

• Providing direct technical assistance and knowledge transfer through long standing relationships with Ministries of Health. This in-country presence has resulted in increased performance, capacity development, country ownership, and public health impact.

• Building a trained local workforce through daily mentoring to nearly 1,100 locally employed staff by CDC’s highly trained clinicians, epidemiologists, public health advisors, health scientists, and laboratory scientists. CDC also provides training programs and funding to local educational institutions to establish a pipeline of qualified, well-trained public health professionals.