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Coltan Downey Ms. Littlefield AIDS Research Paper 16 December, 2013 Haitian Success HIV/AIDS has become so prevalent throughout the world that it is now rated as the second deadliest infectious killer behind tuberculosis. Over 35 million people in the world are currently living with HIV/AIDS and approximately 262 new infections occur every hour. On the small island nation of Haiti, in 2005, about 190,000 citizens lived with HIV/AIDS, which was approximately 3.8% of the entire population. Since then, there has been a dramatic decline in the percentage of the infected population. It has recently been recorded that the disease currently infects about 120,000 citizens, which is only just over 1% of the entire countries population. Since 2005, there has been more than a 47% decline in HIV/AIDS related deaths, showing that a country, suffocated by poverty, and disease, as well as overcoming the overwhelming earthquake, can do something to lower the infection rate of HIV/AIDS and raise awareness with little to no medical technology or healthcare. Haiti also has a very uns table political center, which begs the question†¦ Why can’t any other countries do the same thing? HIV/AIDS emerged in Haiti in the late 1970’s, which was just about the same time that the disease started to break out in the United States. At about this time, in the United States, the disease was discovered in Haitians who immigrated to the United States in search for a better life. When this was discovered, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) did not want to believe that the disease that infected homosexual men and drug users in the United States was the same disease that had infected Haitian immigrants. In 1982 however, the CDC named four risk factors for the disease... ... news about AIDS all the time, but we can give you some good news about AIDS in Haiti.† Yes the rates in Haiti have declined but not all of the news in Haiti surrounding HIV/AIDS is positive. The rates have decreased but only mostly in rural areas and, children in Haiti are becoming sexually active at a younger age and only about 28 females and 15 males ages 15 to 24 are educated about HIV prevention. This lack of knowledge as well as the younger population becoming sexually active may cause the rates in Haiti to spike if the situation is not controlled or, if education is not a primary concern in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Haiti. Haiti has been a â€Å"Top Prospect† when it comes to countries fighting HIV/AIDS and has shown promise but the declining rates of infection may not last long if Haiti does not keep up with educating the population on HIV/AIDS prevention.