Amalia Fawcett: Aids forgotten in race for bird flu protection

As we brace ourselves for bird flu and store treatments for this disease we think may reach epidemic proportions, we are ignoring another disease that affects more than 40 million people and has killed more than 3 million people this year alone.

Aids is destroying communities and economies throughout the world.

In preparation for World Aids Day tomorrow, UNaids and the World Health Organisation have released a report providing evidence that some countries are experiencing a decrease in HIV infection rates, but even with these small triumphs, the global rate continues to rise.

HIV/Aids pays no attention to gender, colour, sexual orientation, borders or age and is wreaking havoc on fragile economies in low- and middle-income countries.

While some communities are stretched to their limits to care for those affected by the virus and their governments struggle to respond, industrialised countries are experiencing the difference anti-retroviral treatment (ARVs) makes.

Already, mother-to-child transmission has been almost eliminated by increased access to ARVs in these countries. Mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, are still unable to protect their babies to the same degree.

Many of those who have succumbed to the disease, those fighting it, and those who have been orphaned by it would have fared better had treatment been accessible.

It is clear that increased efforts must be made to ensure treatment is more accessible if the fight against Aids is to be successful.

The UNaids/WHO report did have some cause for optimism as improvements have been made in access to treatment for more than 1 million people in low- and middle-income countries. Because of this, these people live longer. But this still falls short of the aim of 3 million to receive treatment by the end of this year.

The ultimate goal is universal access to anti-retroviral treatment, a crucial step to halt and reverse the pandemic. This not only calls for reduction of cost, but also the strengthening of medical infrastructure, elimination of stigma and discrimination and increased prevention and education programmes.

Four years ago, 189 countries adopted the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/Aids (DoC) at a United Nations General Assembly special session.

While preparing for the DoC review next year, the General Assembly has reaffirmed its concern that not enough is being done to stop the spread of HIV.

Increased condom use, reduction of mother-to-child transmission and a fall in prevalence rates have been spotted in some countries, but the pandemic is, by no means, close to the aim of halting and reversing by 2015.

The quick reaction and resources that have been directed to avian flu have not been seen for HIV/Aids. Resources to increase knowledge of safer sex and HIV prevention measures, as well as increasing care and treatment of those already affected, are desperately needed.

The HIV/Aids pandemic is already reversing development gains and damaging economies. This is not just a prediction of a possible scenario, it is a reality that will worsen if more is not done to stop it.

* Amalia Fawcett writes on behalf of the International HIV/Aids Advocacy Group, a coalition of NZ-based NGOs working with HIV-affected people worldwide.