WHO's Member-states Reaffirm Commitment to Fight AIDS

By 2015 two million lives could be saved if the World Health Organisation's 193 member-states achieve stated goals to fight AIDS, says Andrew Ball, an official with the WHO's HIV/AIDS programme.

At the WHO's 64th general assembly, member-states reaffirmed their desire to increase access to prevention options and treatment.

The assembly adopts a new strategy to curb HIV/AIDS every five years.

The policy agreed Tuesday is similar to a 2006-2010 plan in emphasising increased access to treatment, prevention, and reducing deaths among mothers and children.

It aims to halve the infection rate among people aged 15 to 24, a 90 percent reduction of infections among children, and a 25 percent cut in HIV-related deaths.

There are 33.3 million people living with HIV, including 22.5 million in sub-Saharan Africa, according to UNAIDS.

Source: AFP