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Better integrated AIDS response needed in Pacific
An independent Commission on AIDS in the Pacific says HIV cannot be managed in isolation; it should be considered in the overall development context of the region.
Secretary-General receives report on AIDS
This is one of several recommendations stemming from a report that was received Wednesday by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations in New York.
Mr. Ban said responses to AIDS in the Pacific must be based on an understanding of the region's peoples, cultures, beliefs and practices, and the report takes just such an approach.
"The report gives voice to people living with HIV. I applaud the Commission for this; their participation is essential for making HIV policies and implementing programmes."
There are around 30,000 reported cases of people living with HIV in the Pacific, with more than 5,000 new HIV diagnoses reported in 2008. More than 99% of the reported cases are in Papua New Guinea. The predominant means of HIV transmission in the region is unprotected sex.
Between 2001 and 2009, funding for HIV programmes in the Pacific region increased more than five-fold to 77 million US dollars in 2008.
Although the Commission commended Pacific leaders for acting early to support an AIDS response, it also noted that knowledge is still limited because of poor surveillance and data collection and analysis.
Bissera Kostova, UN Radio.
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