UN AIDS Summit Aims to Treat 15 Million

A statement to be officially unveiled on Friday by leaders attending the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AIDS commits to getting 15 million HIV-positive people in the poorest nations on antiretrovirals (ARVs) by 2015. While calling this a critical step, health advocates said wealthy nations now must commit to footing the bill.

The international community currently provides $10 billion to treat around 6.6 million HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries, primarily in Africa. UNAIDS estimates that another $6 billion or more is needed to get 15 million people on ARVs by 2015.

"There are 9 million people waiting for HIV treatment today," said Tido von Schoen-Angerer, executive director of Doctors Without Borders' Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. "This whole AIDS summit will have been a farce if we don't see real plans to ramp up treatment so we can get ahead of the wave of new infections."

The accord also calls for zero mother-to-child HIV transmissions by 2015, as well as for improved preventive measures for the "most vulnerable populations."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the new goals require nations to "come together in global solidarity as never before. If we are to relegate AIDS to the history books we must be bold," said Ban.

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