Annan warning on Aids epidemic
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has warned that the global battle against the Aids epidemic is still losing ground.
Mr Annan told high-level officials in New York that progress had been “significant but insufficient” and warned that the epidemic was accelerating on every continent.
“The response has succeeded in some of the particulars, but it has not matched the epidemic in scale,” said Mr Annan.
Only 12 per cent of those in need of antiretroviral therapies in low and middle-income countries were receiving them, he added.
“The fight against Aids may be the great challenge of our age. Only if we meet this challenge can we succeed in our other efforts to build a humane, healthy and equitable world.”
Mr Annan issued his stark warning at a one-day conference in New York, which was attended by delegates from 120 countries.
The historic meeting called for more money and leadership to ensure the rapid expansion of HIV prevention, care, treatment and impact alleviation.
In addition to examining successes and failures in the battle against HIV/Aids, the assembly will hold roundtable sessions to outline solutions to policy shortcomings on key issues such as human rights, Aids orphans and treatment.
