Adolescent Health in Myanmar
Support Burnet’s Adolescent Health Programs in Myanmar today.
Support Burnet’s Adolescent Health Programs in Myanmar today.
Support Burnet’s Adolescent Health Programs in Myanmar today.
Support Burnet’s Adolescent Health Programs in Myanmar today.
HIV is a major focus at Burnet, with work focussed on laboratory-based research into a cure, and on public health programs focussed on education and prevention in Australia and abroad.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 37.9 people were living with HIV at the end of 2018.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects cells of the immune system, causing it to become weak and making it more susceptible to infections. HIV is generally spread through unprotected sexual intercourse or contaminated blood but can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy. There is no cure for HIV.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. It can take 10 - 15 years for a HIV-infected person to develop AIDS but antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have made a huge difference in slowing or halting the progression to AIDS.
770 000 people died from HIV-related causes in 2018, and there were 1.7 million new infections.
Service coverage is gradually increasing. In 2018, 62 per cent of adults and 54 per cent of children living with HIV in low and middle income countries were receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
World AIDS Day, held annually on 1 December, is an opportunity for people worldwide to support people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died.