Western Pacific countries urged to step up AIDS programs

The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked countries in the Western Pacific to step up programs against Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) to meet a goal by 2010.

The WHO said that HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities must be strengthened to ensure universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment throughout the region by 2010.

The goal was made in the wake of a commitment made in July 2005 by the so-called "Group of 8," composed of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom, to significantly bring down HIV infections.

These countries have agreed to work with WHO, the joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and other international bodies to develop and implement an HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment package with a goal to expand universal access to treatment.

The goal was endorsed by all United Nations member-states at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2005. — Sheila Crisostomo