World AIDS Day message by UN chief

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, United Nations Secretary General, Ban ki-Moon has called on world leaders to unite in their common cause to end AIDS by 2030, saying the Fast Track approach launched last week will enable us to reach this goal.  The theme for the Dec. 1, 2014 World Aids Day is ' Cose the Gap". In a message for the day, Ban noted some good news – among them, almost 14 million people worldwide are now accessing HIV treatment, and new HIV infections have been reduced by 38 per cent since 2001.  Besides, the world has prevented 1.16 million infections among newborn babies, they are on track to provide antiretroviral therapy to 15 million people by 2015.  Progress is accelerating in tackling and removing laws that stigmatise and discriminate.   But the gains remain fragile as are still 35 million people living with HIV today, and some 19 million of them do not know they have the virus. Two out of three children who need treatment do not get it and young women are particularly vulnerable in many countries with high HIV prevalence.  Besides, AIDS increasing in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, fuelled by stigma, discrimination and punitive laws.   We must leave no one behind, Ban said, calling on world leaders to unite in the common cause to end AIDS together by 2030.