A person with HIV is likely to live longer today than someone with diabetes or high blood pressure, UNAIDS says
NEW DELHI (AlertNet) - A person with HIV is likely to live longer today than someone with diabetes or high blood pressure due to new medications which have transformed AIDS from a death sentence into a chronic disease, the UNAIDS was quoted as saying in the Hindustan Times on Friday.
With 2.3 million cases of AIDS, India - like sub-Saharan Africa - is on the frontlines of the fight against the deadly virus. Yet there are a reported 50.8 million people in the country living with diabetes.
"New medicines have transformed HIV from a death sentence into a chronic disease that has a very, very small impact on your life expectancy if you start treatment early and do not smoke, drink or have diabetes," Charles Gilks, UNAIDS country coordinator for India, was quoted as saying in the report.
"HIV has a much lower impact on survival and life expectancy than cancer, severe diabetes or nasty high blood pressure."
The report said that while the AIDS virus cuts life by five years if contracted in a person's 20s, diabetes can take away 10-15 years life, if developed in their 40s. /ENDS
