UN chief’s message for World AIDS Day

December 02, 2013 - The United Nations chief has urged greater action to fight new HIV/AIDS infections among children saying some regions are still lagging in anti-AIDS fight. In a message for the December 1 World AIDS Day, Sunday, UN Secretary-Genearl Ban ki-Moon expressed optimism over significant decreases in new infections and deaths, and that there is good progress towards the target of ensuring 15 million people have access to antiretroviral treatment by 2015. But the UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report for 2013, give worrying signals that some regions and countries are falling behind. Ban said they are making advances in reaching vulnerable populations through efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination, but there is still much to do to end this problem, such as some punitive laws and social exclusion. Ban particularly called for stepping up efforts to stop new HIV infections among children and ensure access to treatment for all mothers living with HIV. He especially called for ending discrimination and violence against women which, he said, cause terrible harm and increase risk of HIV infection and death from AIDS. The UN chief commended all partners who have contributed to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.