Nairobi- 8 June 2009- At its’ conclusion, the key planning meeting for HIV and AIDS campaigners from around Africa has reached some clear conclusions and made some powerful calls.  Top of the meeting agenda was December 31st 2010, the target date set by governments worldwide for delivery of Universal Access to prevention, treatment, care and support for people with and affected by HIV.  The meeting heard that barriers to achieving that goal are growing as the economic crisis bites, health systems are showing the strain and slow progress is made on HIV prevention, meaning that the number of people newly infected is more than the number going onto medication.  To make matters worse, stigma and discrimination against people with or threatened by HIV, keeps the virus hidden and harder to defeat.

Key conclusions from the meeting were as follows:
With the science, funding and systems largely in place but many babies still being born with HIV, there is an urgent need to make ``prevention of mother to child transmission`” (PMTCT) programmes deliver on the ground.
There will be a new and vitally necessary drive to form partnerships with Members of Parliament around Africa to get urgent HIV messages to them.
Africa-wide networks of NGOs, women, youth, health development and related groups need to work more closely than ever as December 31st 2010 approaches. The meeting set up systems to do just that.
45% of people being infected in Africa are aged under 25; 76% of them are young women. Youth networks focusing on HIV issues are to pressure for action from governments and regional bodies around problems with the treatment of young people with HIV.  Few services are youth friendly. 

Linda Mafu, Africa Regional Coordinator for the World AIDS Campaign, said today:
“In our own lives we try to deliver on our promises. All African civil society is asking is that our governments do the same.   Universal access by the end of 2010 must not just be a dream”

 
Contact:   Soraya Matthews on 07265203898   and visit our website on www.worldaidscampaign.org