(Washington, DC)  --  To commemorate World AIDS Day, Rep. Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

 "Communities across the globe are commemorating World AIDS Day, an annual event to bring attention to the spread of HIV/AIDS and the steps that must be taken to bring this global crisis to a halt.  Individual countries are looking inward to stop the infection rates in their own countries, while international organizations are coordinating global efforts to combat the virus."

 "As South Floridians, we should pay special attention this year to the growing impact of AIDS on our community.  We were all sobered by the news released last month that showed that South Florida now has the unfortunate distinction of leading the U.S. in new AIDS cases.  This troubling news is coupled with new studies that show that 50 percent of all new HIV cases are among people age 25 and under, despite the fact that this age group makes up less than one third of the nation's population."

 "In the last several years, awareness of HIV/AIDS has grown both locally and internationally, and while significant strides have been made there is still much work to be done.  The United Nations' World Health Organization has announced that adult HIV infection rates have decreased in Kenya, Zimbabwe, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  The decline is credited to increased use of condoms, delay of first sexual experience, fewer sexual partners, and increased access to HIV testing."

 "However, even as some countries have made progress, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide continues to rise.  The number of people living with HIV has reached an astonishing new record-an estimated 40.3 million.   In 2005 alone, there have been 5 million cases of new infections.  Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected, but the regions with the steepest increase in HIV cases this year are Eastern Europe and Central and East Asia."

 "Clearly, we must develop and implement a comprehensive long-term strategy to combat AIDS.  It will require a large commitment of national governments, global organizations, and on-the-ground healthcare providers to implement the necessary treatment and prevention strategies.  As this year's World AIDS Day slogan states, the goal is simple:  "Stop AIDS.  Keep the Promise."

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