GENEVA, 20 December 2013—The governing body of UNAIDS––the Programme Coordinating Board—has concluded its three-day meeting in Geneva. The Board called on UNAIDS to support on-going country and international processes to set revised national targets for universal access to HIV treatment.
The Board called on Member States to expand access to antiretroviral therapy by implementing the 2013 World Health Organization guidelines on access to treatment. They also stressed the importance of ensuring that acceleration of access to HIV treatment, including addressing the barriers to treatment access, is factored into all stages of HIV and health planning. In addition to support with national treatment target setting, the Board requested support from UNAIDS in reducing the price of medicines, technical support and capacity development.
During the meeting, which took place from 17-19 December, Board members highlighted the importance of intensifying efforts in the AIDS response beyond 2015 and emphasised that ending AIDS must have a prime position in the post-2015 agenda.
In his opening address, the Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibé echoed the importance of keeping focused on ending AIDS. “Ending AIDS will be a global achievement of historic dimensions,” said Mr Sidibé. “Not only will millions of lives be saved, but ending AIDS will drive better health, poverty and equity outcomes for the entire human family.”
UNAIDS was also requested to intensify coordinated technical support to governments, civil society, and key populations, and to further support countries in the roll-out of the New Funding Model of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
The meeting concluded with a full-day thematic segment on HIV, adolescents and youth where young people led sessions on prevention, testing and treatment and explored ideas, experiences and solutions with the Board members about the shape and scope of meaningful HIV programmes for young people.
Participants and observers from UN Member States, international organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations attended the meeting, which was chaired by India. The Board elected Australia as Chair and Zimbabwe as Vice Chair for 2014.
UNAIDS Executive Director’s report to the Board, decisions, recommendations and conclusions from the meeting can be found at unaids.org.
