Blair vows to fight AIDS in developing countries

LONDON – Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday met with women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS and renewed his pledge to combat the disease in developing countries.

“Ignoring the issue of AIDS is simply not an option,” said Blair, who had breakfast at his Downing Street office with some 20 AIDS victims from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. The British government has promised to spend 1,5 billion pounds (US$2,8 billion) over the next three years tackling the pandemic.Blair and International Development Secretary, Hilary Benn, detailed how that money will be spent, including 150 million pounds (US$280,5 million) for AIDS orphans.They also said Britain would double its contribution to the UN-sponsored global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to more than 150 million pounds (US$280,5 million) over three years.Dr Peter Piot, executive director of the UN Program on HIV/AIDS, attended the breakfast, during which a video message of support from former South African president Nelson Mandela was played.Mandela, Blair and former US president Bill Clinton are the chairmen of the International AIDS Trust.”This is a tragedy that spans personal and global scales,” said Blair.”It is appalling that life expectancy in some of the worst-affected areas is falling back to pre-1950 levels.This is not just about millions of personal and family tragedies, appalling though these are.”Already fragile economies are seeing their working-age population destroyed.Quite simply, you cannot hope to tackle poverty on a global scale without addressing AIDS,” Blair said.Next year, Britain holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union and also will chair the Group of Eight summit and Blair has said he will put tackling AIDS at the forefront of his agenda.”The UK is committed to supporting national governments (to) take forward a combination of approaches, balancing the urgent need to prevent new HIV infections with efforts to treat and care for people with HIV and AIDS,” said Benn.”Responding to the challenges posed by stigma and discrimination, and securing human rights, are central to this strategy.”- Nampa-APThe British government has promised to spend 1,5 billion pounds (US$2,8 billion) over the next three years tackling the pandemic.Blair and International Development Secretary, Hilary Benn, detailed how that money will be spent, including 150 million pounds (US$280,5 million) for AIDS orphans.They also said Britain would double its contribution to the UN-sponsored global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria to more than 150 million pounds (US$280,5 million) over three years.Dr Peter Piot, executive director of the UN Program on HIV/AIDS, attended the breakfast, during which a video message of support from former South African president Nelson Mandela was played.Mandela, Blair and former US president Bill Clinton are the chairmen of the International AIDS Trust.”This is a tragedy that spans personal and global scales,” said Blair.”It is appalling that life expectancy in some of the worst-affected areas is falling back to pre-1950 levels.This is not just about millions of personal and family tragedies, appalling though these are.”Already fragile economies are seeing their working-age population destroyed.Quite simply, you cannot hope to tackle poverty on a global scale without addressing AIDS,” Blair said.Next year, Britain holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union and also will chair the Group of Eight summit and Blair has said he will put tackling AIDS at the forefront of his agenda.”The UK is committed to supporting national governments (to) take forward a combination of approaches, balancing the urgent need to prevent new HIV infections with efforts to treat and care for people with HIV and AIDS,” said Benn.”Responding to the challenges posed by stigma and discrimination, and securing human rights, are central to this strategy.”- Nampa-AP