HIV Is No Longer a Death Sentence. It’s a Manageable Condition.
Once a terminal illness, HIV is now a chronic condition — thanks to decades of medical breakthroughs.
In 1996, life expectancy for people with HIV was just 39. By 2011, it jumped to 72 — matching that of the general population.
With access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), people with HIV can live full, healthy lives — and the virus can even become undetectable and untransmittable.
Dr. Ray Martins puts it simply: “You can have a normal lifespan and live just like someone who doesn’t have HIV.”
Science did its job. Now it’s time for global leaders to do theirs — by making treatment accessible to all.
Author: Saikat Bhattacharya
