Health experts agree on steps for achieving Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria services
ECA Press Release No. 60/2009
Addis Ababa, 02 November 2009 (ECA) - About 50 experts in HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria who met here last week at the 3rd inter- agency meeting on coordination and harmonization of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Strategies, have agreed on broad steps for the final push for action for achieving the Abuja Call for Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Services by 2010.
The meeting was co-organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Union Commission and UNAIDS, with the support of the World Health organization, and attended by UN agencies, civil society groups, regional economic communities, the Global Fund and the World Bank.
The experts identified many priority actions in the final push, including leadership and governance; health systems, sexual transmission of HIV, scale up of anti retroviral therapy/prevention of mother to child transmission, elimination of pediatric HIV, treatment of drug-resistant TB and the strengthening of surveillance of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
They called for strengthened capacity on biological, clinical and socio-behavioral research, including the role of traditional medicines and traditional leaders, to generate evidence to improve and adapt policies and programmes.
Calling for the development and implementation of social protection measures to mitigate the impact of the three diseases, the experts said affordable AIDS, TB and malaria medicines and commodities should be “uninterrupted and of high quality”.
While there are signs of economic recovery at global level, the experts said “the consequences of the crisis have not yet completely unfolded in sub-Saharan Africa.”
“The crisis is having disproportionate negative impact on poorest groups and households living with HIV are particularly exposed,” said the experts, adding : “Vulnerable grouips must be protected and social protection – including health insurance – measures can mitigate the impact of the diseases.”
Issued by the ECA Information and Communication Service P.O. Box 3001
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Tel: 251 11 5445098 Fax: +251-11-551 03 65 E-mail: ecainfo@uneca.org Web: www.uneca.org
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