No time to lose in HIV fight

published on November 7, 2013 in The Gleaner

On December 1, observed annually as World AIDS Day, we will join millions of people around the world to celebrate our progress in halting and reversing the spread of HIV, and reducing AIDS-related deaths. Most important, the day is an opportunity to "raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic" and remind ourselves of the tremendous work to be done to get to zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths (World Health Organization).

Immediately after World AIDS Day, the United States will convene a meeting in Washington, DC, for governments and private-sector entities worldwide, to encourage them to continue to fund the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. "The Global Fund is a unique public-private partnership and international financing institution that brings together governments, civil society and the private sector to work together to save lives in 151 countries." The replenishment meeting, under the theme 'No Time to Lose: Our Shared Responsibility to Save Lives', aims to get US$15 billion to invest in the recent innovations and scientific progress that has made it possible to see the end of AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

The International Civil Society Support posits that "We are at the tipping point in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria. [Therefore,] to make good on recent innovations and scientific progress that have made it possible to see the end [of] AIDS, TB, and malaria." We must, therefore, join the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) in encouraging donors, our Government, and other implementing countries to save the lives of millions of people around the world, including 32,000 Jamaicans who are living with HIV, and preventing new HIV infections.

Jaevion Nelson
The Gleaner
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BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

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No time to lose in HIV fight

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