UN Radio: World Falls Short of Goals to Fight AIDS

UN Radio: World Falls Short of Goals to Fight AIDS

World Falls Short of Goals to Fight AIDS

Secretary-General Kofi Annan says action is still far short of what is needed to defeat HIV/AIDS. The Secretary-General told a high-level meeting on the follow-up to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS that at the current rate of progress, the world would not achieve any of the targets set for 2005:

"We have come a long way, but not far enough. Clearly, we will have to work harder to ensure that our commitment is matched by the necessary resources and action."

The Secretary-General says a third of all countries still have no policies to ensure that women have access to prevention and care.

Ghana Intensifying Strategies to Reduce Prevalence of HIV/AIDS

Ghana is intensifying its pursuit of cost-effective strategies to ensure a reduction in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. President John Agyekum Kufuor says his government has responded to the HIV/AIDS epidemic by facilitating a multi-sectoral approach that focuses on mobilising human, material and financial resources in all sectors:

"In light of the relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty, and the high incidence of infection among females, measures are being taken to empower women and girls economically, to reduce their vulnerability to the disease."

Women and girls account for more than 60 per cent of the AIDS cases in Ghana.

Global AIDS Treatment Emergency Requires Urgent Response

The UN health agency WHO says the failure to deliver anti-retroviral treatment for AIDS to the millions of people who need it is a global health emergency. And it has called for urgent action to tackle the problem. WHO says it will work with UNAIDS and other partners to use the rapid response skills it has learnt in responding to complex emergencies to provide assistance to those countries with the highest burden of HIV/AIDS, based on direct appeals from governments. Some six million people in developing countries have HIV infections that require antiretroviral treatment.

Annan Shocked by Latest Attack on UN Premises

Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he's shocked and distressed by the latest attack outside the UN premises in Baghdad. The Secretary-General says the UN was reviewing the situation in light of this latest attack:

"We need a secure environment to be able to operate, and we have been assessing the situation on a daily basis to determine if there are improvements in the situation. We will go forward but of course if it continues to deteriorate, then our operations will be handicapped considerably."

Today's bomb attack killed an Iraqi policeman and wounded 19, including two UN workers.

Annan Condemns Bombing Outside UN Compound in Baghdad

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General has condemned today's suicide bombing in the strongest possible terms. UN Spokesman Fred Eckhard says the Secretary-General pays homage to the courageous policemen, whose actions saved many lives:

"The Secretary-General is dismayed that the United Nations in Iraq has once again been the target of an act of terror. He remains greatly concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Iraq."

The president of the General Assembly Julian Hunte of St. Lucia has also condemned today's bomb attack outside the UN compound.

Annan Urges World Leaders to Deal With Roots of Terrorism

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged world leaders to deal with the roots of terrorism, if they are to fight it more effectively. The Secretary-General told a conference on "Fighting Terrorism for Humanity" that it's their duty to try and understand "this deadly phenomenon," and carefully examine what works in fighting it. He called on leaders to articulate a powerful and compelling global vision that can defeat the extreme visions of some terrorist groups.

Special Envoy on AIDS Chides Rich Countries for Neglecting Africa's Plight

The special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa says he's enraged by the behaviour of rich countries, which by their neglect have worsened the situation in Africa. Special envoy Stephen Lewis told an international conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases now taking place in Nairobi, Kenya that what's happening to the continent makes him extremely angry. He said that in dealing with AIDS on the continent, Africa has moved mountains in the past couple of years, while the western world remains mired in the foothills.

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