AIDS Prevention Programs Underfunded, U.N. Says

NAIROBI, Kenya -- The AIDS epidemic is the biggest challenge to improving the lives of people in Africa, according to the U.N. agency responsible for coordinating global efforts to fight AIDS.

But UNAIDS officials said the disease can be contained with the right programs and enough money.

According to the agency, there are proven programs and methods for preventing infection and treating those afflicted. But researchers said these programs are still too small and underfunded to slow the spread of the virus that causes AIDS.

The UNAIDS report was released Sunday, on the opening day of the 13th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa. About 8,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

The agency also said that, despite progress, many U.N. member states will not meet basic AIDS prevention and care goals established at the 2001 meeting unless efforts are dramatically scaled up.

The report spells out a series of shortfalls in areas such as expanding access to drugs and caring for AIDS orphans. It also says not enough has been done to prevent discrimination and to keep mothers from transmitting the disease to their children.

The goals call for having the 3 million AIDS victims in the developing world taking AIDS drugs by 2005 and reversing the epidemic by 2015. But experts say that without additional money and political will, it's not likely the U.N. goals will be met.

For example, one of the goals is to ensure that by 2005, at least 80 percent of pregnant women have access to information, counseling and treatment to prevent HIV transmission to their children. But today, these services remain virtually nonexistent in countries most affected by HIV and AIDS.

"We have come a long way, but not far enough," said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "Clearly, we will have to work harder to ensure that our commitment to the fight against AIDS is matched by the necessary resources and action."

This week's conference will concentrate on providing better care for those infected with HIV. The report makes clear the need to keep HIV patients healthy and in the work force.

More than 30 million people in Africa are infected with HIV, which makes up 70 percent of the AIDS cases in the world.

UNAIDS Web Site