Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. I stopped by Thomas Street Clinic (the largest freestanding HIV clinic in the US) to catch some of the World AIDS Day ceremony. Our office had an information booth set up in the lobby. Watch Channel 26 tonight for coverage of the Tree of Remembrance and a beautiful ornament made by Tammy G., as well as some Houston Chronicle coverage.

Every year, our office (aka me, heh) prepares a written proclamation for Judge Eckels to present at Commissioner’s Court, officially designating December 1st as World AIDS Day in Harris County. The proclamation includes statistics and facts about HIV/AIDS worldwide, as well as in Houston and Harris County. Here are some excerpts:

Worldwide:

  • It is estimated that as many as 45 million people worldwide are living with HIV/AIDS, with up to 6.6 million new HIV infections worldwide during 2005 � about 18,000 new infections each day. This is the greatest number in any one year since the beginning of the epidemic.
  • Up to 3.8 million people died from AIDS in 2005.
  • The number of children orphaned by AIDS is expected to reach 44 million by 2010.
  • Approximately 11 of every 1,000 adults are HIV-infected worldwide.
  • In June 2005, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 6,500,000 people in developing and transitional countries were in need of antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment for AIDS. Of these, only 15% had access to treatment. That leaves 5.5 million people not receiving drug treatment for HIV/AIDS.

United States:

  • As many as 1.6 million American adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2003, with as many as 24-27% undiagnosed and unaware of their HIV infection.
  • The HIV epidemic in the United States is continuing to grow with 41,000 new cases each year.

Houston & Harris County:

  • The CDC estimates that as of December 2004, more than 20,000 Houston-area residents are living with HIV.
  • The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that in 2004, Houston had a higher proportion of HIV/AIDS due to heterosexual exposure compared to other areas in the State.
  • Compared to other cities in Texas, Houston has the highest number of people living with AIDS who are not receiving medical care.