Call to keep up campaign on World AIDS Day

Following the visit to Brighton and Hove earlier this month by Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, to meet staff of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and others involved in the international fight against AIDS, local MP David Lepper met up with the Secretary of State in Parliament this week to discuss progress in the global fight against HIV and AIDS.

Ahead of World AIDS Day on Monday December 1, David Lepper, Labour and Co-operative MP for Brighton Pavilion, urged the minister to maintain the UK's global leadership on this issue.

David Lepper said:

"I know how impressed Douglas Alexander had been by the work of organisations and individuals based in Brighton and Hove when he spent the day here.

"I was keen to make sure he knew just important many of my constituents believe it is that the UK government maintains its global leadership on this issue and meets its commitments to the world's poorest people. With 33 million people still living with HIV and AIDS worldwide, we must continue to act. I was very pleased that Douglas committed to continuing the government's policies."

Douglas Alexander said:

"I am proud that the UK government remains so committed to tackling poverty at home and abroad. I always welcome my discussions with David given his track record as such a tireless campaigner on global poverty and HIV and AIDS, as well as a strong voice for the people of Brighton Pavilion."

The most recent joint UNAIDS-World Health Organisation report showed that in 2007 over 33 million people live with HIV and AIDS worldwide. UNAIDS estimates that every day, over 6,800 people become infected with HIV, and over 5,700 people die from AIDS. That's a death from AIDS every 15 seconds.

In June 2008, the UK Government launched Achieving Universal Access: the UK's strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world. This sets out the UK's strategy between 2008-2015, it will:

  • Help bring down the cost of treatment to enable more people to access life saving drugs
  • Increase funding for research and development of AIDS vaccines and microbicides
  • Meet the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, including those affected by AIDS
  • Prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their children
  • Increase the availability of family planning, including male and female condoms
  • Increase the coverage of services for injecting drug users - HIV infections amongst injecting drug users are driving the fastest growing epidemics in the world.

The last UK strategy Taking Action: the UK Government's strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world helped deliver real results: in most of sub-Saharan Africa, national HIV prevalence has either stabilised or is showing signs of decline.  Since 2004, 20 times more people have access to life-saving treatment and the price of first line AIDS drugs has fallen consistently.    

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