AZT was first approved for HIV treatment around 1987, but was only somewhat effective as a monotherapy. It wouldn't be until 1996 that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was first employed. The result, when plotted, was as unambiguous as any fact can be.

Wow!

Holy shit.

It's unfortunate how so many people who weren't alive/old enough then have no idea how many people died, often at relatively young ages.