Haiti has more than 3 percent of inhabitants living with HIV or AIDS. However, on Wednesday, there were reports released which projected that the number of new AIDS cases and AIDS-related deaths have gradually dropped over the last four years.

The number of people given diagnoses of AIDS declined from 786 in 2004 to 525 in 2008. Deaths caused by AIDS fell from 379 in 2004 to 274 in 2007, the report said.

HAA Director Shannon L. Hader believes that this could lead to a decrease in cases of HIV, the illness that causes AIDS. "These are not easy gains", he added.

At the conference held on Wednesday, D. C. Council member David said that the report is a step forward. "A few years ago, we were in the dark" about the city’s level of infection, he said. "Now, we have the best data in the country”.

Even though this came as a success story for the Haitians, the Jan. 12 earthquake has left about 1.3 million citizens homeless causing relentless difference to AIDS treatment. It has led, AIDS patients like Geralda and her daughter to worry about obtaining a basic tent from relief agencies.

Although, receiving regular AIDS treatment has not been a worry for Jean Rejane Geralda.

Post quake, there are about 45,000 people living in military camps, which is the city’s largest encampment. It is believed that since people are living under open tents without proper security there has been an increase in rape cases.