1981
On July 5, 1981, the "New York Times" publishes its first article on AIDS, entitled, "Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals."
1984
In 1984 a disease that African people have called "slim" because of the wasting away of the body that it causes is revealed to be a heterosexual epidemic of AIDS. Also, the death of Gaetan Dugas, the man who was called "patient zero" and the man who was rumored to have brought AIDS to North America died.
In other news, the US Health and Human services secretary at this time, Margaret Heckler, said that she believed AIDS would only be a "brief epidemic" and there would be a vaccine in just a few years and a cure by 1990.
1987
In 1987, 3 years later, a community
based-response group to AIDS is formed in Uganda and this sets the pace for the
establishment of other organizations just like it around the globe. Also in
America during this year, AZT is approved as the first antiretroviral drug to be
used as a treatment for AIDS. 
1988
On December 1st, 1988 the first world AIDS day is held.
http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue326/Images/heartile.jpg
1990
In 1990, 40 people take part in a conference entitled, "AIDS and the role of the church" in Kinshasa, Zaire. It is also announced that Africa has the most AIDS patients in the world with 5,500,000. North American only had 1,000,000 comparatively.
1991
As of 1991, HIV in young pregnant women was decreasing in Uganda. This was the first significant downturn of AIDS in any developing country. The success was attributed to the countrywide fight against AIDS.
1993
In 1993, representatives from West Angola, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe for an AIDS consultation.
1995
In 1995, in another part of the world, Eastern Europe, an HIV outbreak is discovered in injecting drug users.
1998
In 1998, as the threat of AIDS in Africa grows the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe continues to respond to the threat of AIDS.
1999
In 1999 AIDS leaves a half million children orphans in Zambia. The Clinton administration after a visit to Africa recommends a 100 million dollar federal budget increase to fight AIDS throughout the world.
2000
In 2000, the AIDS crisis in Africa continued to grow. An 11 year old boy living with AIDS in South Africa spoke live on television to the 13th international AIDS conference in Durban.
2001
2001 marked the 20th anniversary of the center for disease control's report about clinical evidence of what was then a new disease, AIDS.
2002
And as of 2002, more than a million Africans are newly infected with HIV. It is said that President Thabo Mbeki doubts the conventional view that HIV causes AIDS. It is also said that he is suspicious of the high prices of anti-AIDS drugs and also the safety as well as the usefulness of them. He did not go so far as to ban them but discourages South African doctors from using them. As a result of this, doctors and nurses are forced to smuggle AIDS drugs such as nevirapine into hospitals. It is suggested that the government start treating babies and rape victims first.
Presently, Africa has 70% of adults and 80% of the children living with HIV in the world. 16 countries of the Sahara have more than 1/10 of the adult population aged 15-49 infected with HIV. South Africa has the largest number of people in the world with HIV/AIDS with 4.2 million.
10 http://gbgm_umc.org/health/aids/timeline.html
11 http://www.avert.org/his81_86.htm
12 http://www.avert.org/aafrica.htm
17 "People Power; South Africa and AIDS." http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC
