Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register

World Video | Defence | Foreign Affairs | Natural Events | Trade | NZ in World News | NZ National News Video | NZ Regional News | Search

 

UN Radio: World Falls Short of Goals to Fight AIDS


UN Radio: World Falls Short of Goals to Fight AIDS

  • Click here to listen to this UN Radio report (real player)
  • Click here to listen to this UN Radio report (mp3)
  • Special Report: Global Leaders Address HIV/AIDS Pandemic
  • Special Report: A UNAIDS Progress Report-Increased Funding But Fewer Life-Saving Drugs
  • 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:

    Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

    Are you getting our free newsletter?

    Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

    "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.

    © Scoop Media

    Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
     
     
     
    World Headlines

     
    UN News: Aid Access Is Key Priority

    Among the key issues facing diplomats is securing the release of a reported 199 Israeli hostages, seized during the Hamas raid. “History is watching,” says Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths. “This war was started by taking those hostages. Of course, there's a history between Palestinian people and the Israeli people, and I'm not denying any of that. But that act alone lit a fire, which can only be put out with the release of those hostages.” More


    Save The Children: Four Earthquakes In a Week Leave Thousands Homeless

    Families in western Afghanistan are reeling after a fourth earthquake hit Herat Province, crumbling buildings and forcing people to flee once again, with thousands now living in tents exposed to fierce winds and dust storms. The latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit 30 km outside of Herat on Sunday, shattering communities still reeling from strong and shallow aftershocks. More

    UN News: Nowhere To Go In Gaza

    UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said some 1.1M people would be expected to leave northern Gaza and that such a movement would be “impossible” without devastating humanitarian consequences and appeals for the order to be rescinded. The WHO joined the call for Israel to rescind the relocation order, which amounted to a “death sentence” for many. More


    Access Now: Telecom Blackout In Gaza An Attack On Human Rights

    By October 10, reports indicated that fixed-line internet, mobile data, SMS, telephone, and TV networks are all seriously compromised. With significant and increasing damage to the electrical grid, orders by the Israeli Ministry of Energy to stop supplying electricity and the last remaining power station now out of fuel, many are no longer able to charge devices that are essential to communicate and access information. More

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Join Our Free Newsletter

    Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.