WHO Backs Health Sector Response to HIV Pandemic

WHO Backs Health Sector Response to HIV Pandemic

September 21, 2006

Fifty-seventh Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific
18-22 September 2006, Auckland, New Zealand

    AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Sept. 21 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
The World Health Organization Western Pacific Region, in
collaboration with international partner agencies, is
seeking to scale up HIV/AIDS prevention and control
activities in line with the goal of universal access for
HIV/AIDS treatment throughout Asia and the Pacific by
2010.

    (Logo: 
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040610/CNTH001LOGO )

    The move came in the wake of a commitment in July 2005
by the Group of 8 -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United
States -- to significantly reduce HIV infections.  The
leaders agreed to work with WHO, UNAIDS and other
international bodies to develop and implement a package for
HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care, with the aim of
achieving, to the extent possible, universal access to
HIV/AIDS treatment by 2010.  This goal was subsequently
endorsed by all United Nations Member States at the United
Nations General Assembly in September 2005.

    The goal of universal access follows the joint
launching by WHO and UNAIDS of the "3 by 5
Initiative" in 2003 to support the expansion of access
to antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle- income
countries to 3 million people living with HIV/AIDS by the
end of 2005. The initiative has increased the lifespan of
many people living with HIV/AIDS. 

    Two major consultations were organized in the past year
to introduce the concept of universal access to WHO Member
States.  Gaps and constraints blocking the comprehensive
and integrated scale up of prevention, treatment, care and
support activities were also identified.  They are:

    -- Health worker shortages and a lack of technical
capacity, including 
       inadequate public health care infrastructure;

    -- Widespread stigma and discrimination against people
living with 
       HIV/AIDS, including those engaging in high-risk
behaviours, such as 
       drug use and sex work; and

    -- Limited availability of voluntary counselling and
testing.

    Each country needs to determine its priority
strategies, targets, interventions and activities for
scaling up universal access.  

    UNAIDS and WHO are committed to support countries in
this process and will continue to develop policies and
guidelines to support countries in expanding HIV/AIDS
prevention and control activities.

    The success of universal access will depend on a broad
partnership effort, said WHO.

    For more information, please contact:

     Mr Peter Cordingley
     WHO spokesman
     Tel:    [phone] 
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Ms Marilu Lingad
     Assistant/Public Information Office 
     Tel:    [phone] 
     Mobile: [phone] (Auckland)
     Email:  [e-mail]

SOURCE  World Health Organization