UNITED NATIONS, June 2 (AFP) - The United Nations on Thursday sounded new alarms over the devastating spread of the AIDS epidemic, and called on world leaders to immediately take new steps to solve a problem that threatens to overwhelm future generations.
"It's clear that the epidemic continues to outrun our efforts to contain it," UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in opening statements to a one-day world conference on HIV/AIDS at UN headquarters in New York.
Delegates from 120 countries, including 40 ministers of health, have gathered here to discuss how to reach UN goals set four years ago aimed at reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS through timed targets.
"Last year saw more new infections and AIDS-related deaths than ever before," said Annan.
"If we are to reach the Millennium Development Goal of halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015, then we must do much, much more," he added.
Approximately 40 million people are living with HIV in the world today.
According to Annan, only 12 per cent of those in poor countries who need anti-retroviral drugs are getting them.
The UN chief praised efforts by international organizations such as UNAIDS, which coordinates several UN agencies in fighting against AIDS, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, for making drugs available in poor countries.
Annan also called on those countries to develop comprehensive plans to fight the epidemic, to develop HIV/AIDS action plans, and to set up national AIDS coordinating authorities and national monitoring and evaluation systems.
Better funding and leadership are also necessary, said Annan, along with better education of women and girls, who account for about half those infected with HIV.
Director of UNAIDS Peter Piot said that in order to beat the epidemic, it is necessary that AIDS "get the same level of attention and concern by the world's leaders as they give to global security -- not an iota less.
"Nothing less than universal access to effective HIV prevention and treatment will be sufficient if we are to keep this epidemic from engulfing the next generations," said Piot.
A funding gap of several billion dollars needs to be closed in order for poor people to access drugs, said Piot.
Annan also reminded delegates that world leaders will meet at a world summit in September to review the Millennium Development Goals they agreed upon in 2000, among which is the goal to reverse the spread of AIDS.
"The task this year will be much tougher than in 2000 when the declaration was adopted," said Annan. "Instead of setting targets, this time leaders must decide how to achieve them."
050602
AF050603
Copyright ©AFP 2005. All Rights Reserved. AFP articles contained on the AEGiS web site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without AFP's prior written permission. You may make one copy of each article for your personal, non-commercial use only; more copies would require AFP's prior written permission. obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics. http://www.afp.com/
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1990, 2005 - AEGiS. AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
