AIDS still substantial challenge to world although campaign forges ahead

Delegates follow proceedings during the launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya on Nov 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Fred Mutune]

Despite progress made in confronting HIV worldwide, AIDS remains a major global public health challenge, threatening people's lives, especially in sub-Saharan Africa that is worst hit by HIV.

Overall HIV incidence rates are declining, but the total number of infections is still unacceptably high, with 1.7 million new infections in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) data showed.