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Needed, Leaders to Vanquish AIDS
By: Peter Piot and Kim Hak-Su
The International
Herald Tribune, April 26, 2001
BANGKOK- Much has been written about cheaper drugs for the world's poor, but most people in developing countries do not have access to treatment and prevention services. Ninety-five percent of all new HIV/AIDS cases come from developing countries.
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We need a radically different approach to one of the most pressing development issues of our times. The fight against HIV/AIDS must harness the expertise of all sectors of society, including the pharmaceutical industry.
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Recent discussions on incentives for research and increased access to medication for the poor mark a significant step forward. Drugs can work, however, only if they form part of a comprehensive approach encompassing prevention, education, care and support.
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The conspiracy of silence surrounding AIDS must be broken if we are to confront the challenge directly. For drugs themselves to have a real impact, AIDS has to be fought on several fronts. Our highest priority must still be prevention, to ensure that fewer people become infected with HIV/AIDS in the first place.
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For the millions living in poverty who are already infected, enabling access to treatment is crucial. Drugs are an important component of this. Yet we still need to foster the climate for open dialogue on issues that are directly linked with AIDS - social values, behavioral norms, gender roles, health and sexuality. AIDS is systematically destroying the social and economic fabric of communities in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world.
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The whole United Nations organization is being mobilized to fight against AIDS. The General Assembly's decision to convene a special session this June to review and address the problem underscores the international consensus on the urgency of tackling HIV/AIDS as a global problem.
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A strong focus on prevention must be linked to young people, since half of new infections are occurring in this age group. Preventive efforts must also target other vulnerable populations, including sex workers, drug users and men who have sex with men. Health and sex education programs and measures for preventing mother-to-child transmission need to be expanded, while access to condoms and to voluntary counseling must be made available to all who need them.
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We know today that political commitment, coordination, participation and adequate resources are the key components in combating HIV/AIDS. Leadership at the global, national and community levels is the single most important thing that can reverse the trend.
Peter Piot is executive director of Unaids, the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, based in Geneva. Kim Hak-Su is executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, based in Bangkok. They contributed this comment to the International Herald Tribune.
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