Tackling Growing Asian AIDS Epidemic to Cost Billions

On Saturday at the 6th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, International AIDS Society President Stefano Vella said that tackling the Asian epidemic would require billions of US dollars annually. It would also mean adaptations in research efforts and in complex drug therapy regimens, which are often used incorrectly by people in Asia, he said.

"It has been calculated that between 7 billion and 9 billion US dollars per year for at least 10 years is needed to bring prevention, care and support to the south of the world," Vella said, adding that this cost should be met by wealthy nations. However, he said it would be a mistake "to think that just having money for drugs would solve the problem." Addressing the inequalities between rich and poor countries in access to health care is the most moral, scientific, technical and political challenge of this century," Vella said.

Vella said providing treatment to HIV patients required health facilities that could also be used for other diseases common in Asia, such as TB and malaria. With vaccines "not on the immediate horizon," making HIV drugs more available in Asia is also necessary. "We know very well that antiretroviral therapy [for the treatment of HIV] has had a dramatic impact on mortality and mobility," Vella said.

The five-day congress was the first large gathering of world HIV/AIDS experts, community leaders and lawmakers since the UN General Assembly held a special session devoted to the disease in July. The 189-member General Assembly adopted by consensus the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, a global agenda aimed at reversing the pandemic by 2015.

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