In observance of World AIDS Day 2007, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his wife Yoo Soon-taek opened a photographic exhibition entitled "UN Plus" at the United Nations headquarters in New York with the members of UNPlus - the UN System HIV Positive Staff Group.

UNPlus also marked the occasion with the launch of their new calendar, which features photos of UN staff ‘living positively’ and which has been distributed around the world.

UNPlus was initiated in March 2005 by a group of UN staff members living with HIV, with the support of the UNAIDS secretariat, to create a more enabling environment of all HIV-positive staff members, irrespective of the level of disclosure of their HIV status. UNPlus aims to create an organized and effective voice for people living with HIV within the United Nations system that challenges stigma and discrimination, and contributes to the development of and improvement of existing policies on HIV among United Nations agencies.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon first met UNPlus in May 2007, as part of the 61st session of the General Assembly, to discuss the opportunities and challenges that UN positive staff face at work.

Describing his first meeting with the group as “one of the most moving experiences” of his life, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon vowed to step up efforts to eliminate the stigma that still surrounds people living with AIDS in so many countries.

Mr. Ban said he was touched by the courage shown by the members of UNPlus, as well as the directness with which they spoke about their lives.

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Links:
More on World AIDS Day
UN Plus meets UN Secretary-General (May 2007)
Visit UNplus web site

El director ejecutivo de ONUSIDA, el Dr. Peter Piot, intervino en la Cumbre mundial sobre el sida de la Iglesia evangelista de Saddleback, en Lake Forest, California. El Dr. Piot remarcó el importante e irremplazable papel que desempeñan los grupos religiosos de toda índole en la respuesta global al sida, ya que proporcionan tratamiento, atención y apoyo para el VIH en algunas de las partes más remotas del mundo.

El Dr. Piot hizo un llamamiento al incremento de los esfuerzos para promover la tolerancia, denunciar la discriminación y la violencia por razones de sexo, orientación sexual o estatus social y erradicar el estigma existente en torno al sida. Además, les alentó a que llegasen a los grupos que están más marginados por la sociedad, y por tanto, expuestos a un mayor riesgo de infección por el VIH.

“Después de un cuarto de siglo de respuesta al sida, es hora de hacer balance del progreso que hemos logrado, y de consolidar e incrementar lo que está funcionando”, declaró el Dr. Piot. “Ha llegado la hora también de darnos cuenta de que todos podemos y debemos hacer más, si queremos ir por delante de la epidemia”.

El liderazgo fue una cuestión importante en la cumbre y el tema principal de los discursos del Dr. Piot y del coordinador mundial para el sida de los Estados Unidos, el embajador Mark Dybul, quien intervino en una sesión denominada “La excelencia en el liderazgo global”. También hablaron sobre el tema líderes de la Organización de Primeras Damas de África contra el sida, Su Excelencia Doña Jeannette Kagame, primera dama de Rwanda, y Su Excelencia Doña Maureen Mwanawasa, primera dama de Zambia.

La Cumbre de Saddleback fue organizada por el fundador de la Iglesia de Saddleback, Rick Warren, y por su esposa Kay Warren, directora ejecutiva de la iniciativa de esta Iglesia para el sida, con la intención de que sirva como un camino para que los asistentes aprendan más acerca de la enfermedad y coordinen sus esfuerzos hasta hacerle frente. La cumbre tiene lugar del 28 al 30 de noviembre y se ha programado también un encuentro para jóvenes el día 1 de diciembre.

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Enlaces:

Lea el artículo publicado en prensa (pdf, 27.87 Kb) (en inglés)
Web de la Conferencia de Saddleback (en inglés)

One year on since its establishment, the international drug purchase facility – UNITAID – is celebrating a number of key achievements.

“In the year since it was established, UNITAID has managed to reduce the price of HIV treatments for children by almost 40%, and those for second-line antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by between 25% and 50%,” UNITAID reported.

“In collaboration with the Clinton Foundation, UNITAID has also delivered more than 33 000 paediatric treatments against AIDS and is on course to meet the needs of 100 000 children by the end of 2007.

”UNITAID was launched in September 2006 during the United Nations General Assembly. The mandate of UNITAID is to contribute to the scaling up of access to treatments for AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in developing countries by leveraging quality drugs and diagnostics price reductions and accelerating the pace at which these are made available. UNITAID offers beneficiary countries long-term support through sustainable and predictable funding, mobilized by innovative financing mechanisms, such as a solidarity contribution on air tickets, together with multi-year predictable budgetary contributions.

Over the last year, UNITAID has committed a total of US$ 45 million for second-line antiretroviral drugs to fund the treatment of 65 000 patients by 2008. “Four countries (Botswana, Cameroon, Uganda and Zambia) have already received a first supply of second-line ARV drugs through UNITAID and a further 13 countries are currently awaiting delivery,” said UNITAID.

UNITAID is also contributing to the fight against tuberculosis together with the Global Drug Facility and the Stop TB Partnership. By the end of the year, UNITAID will have provided TB treatments to 150 000 children in 19 countries and will be supporting the provision of drugs for Multidrug - resistant TB in 17 low-income countries.

For each programme, UNITAID sets up an ad hoc partnership with existing organizations: World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Clinton Foundation, Global Drug Facility/Green Light Committee and the Stop TB Partnership.

”UNITAID is a prime example of the rapid, flexible and innovative action needed to develop a sustainable long-term response to AIDS and reach universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support,” said UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Michel Sidibe. “In less than a year, UNITAID has shown that harmonization, simplification and coordination lead to less duplication and much more effective use of resources. It is a real model of ‘making the money work’ and scaling up of existing programmes for the benefit of the people who need it most.

Based in Geneva, the UNITAID Trust Fund and Secretariat are hosted by WHO. At present, 27 countries— of which 19 are in Africa— are members and contribute to UNITAID. At least 85% of UNITAID funds are spent in low income countries. The budget of UNITAID for 2007 is over US$ 300 million and 90% has already been committed to programmes in more than 80 countries.

 

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Links:

Visit UNITAID's Web site

UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot participated in a forum at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., discussing the United States’ important role in the global AIDS response and the upcoming reauthorization of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. U.S. Representative Nita M. Lowey and Kent R. Hill of the U.S. Agency for International Development also spoke at the forum.

During his speech, Dr Piot noted the leadership role that has been played by the United States in addressing the global AIDS epidemic, and called on the country to maintain and strengthen this commitment. “We must accelerate our efforts, and broaden them—by bolstering our long-term, sustainable efforts to fight this disease,” he said. “For the United States in particular, that means sustaining the leadership role you have played in recent years. Your investments have had powerful results for many people around the world. We need your leadership to continue – and intensify – on all fronts.”

The UNAIDS Executive Director is in the United States to speak with leaders from government and civil society about the state of the global AIDS epidemic and role U.S. organizations can play in the response. On Tuesday 18 September he addressed students and faculty at Washington D.C.’s Howard University. Next week he will give the keynote speech at a symposium on children and AIDS at Harvard University Medical School.

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Links:

Read Dr Piot's speech at Harvard University Medical School
Read Dr Piot's speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Watch webcast of the event
Listen to the interview to Dr Piot by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
See archived presentations by Dr Piot at the Wilson Center
Read more on Dr Piot's intervention at Howard University

The important role of academic organizations in the global AIDS response was underlined on Tuesday 18 September in a special lecture given at Washington D.C.’s Howard University by UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot.

Addressing students, faculty, community members and journalists, Dr Piot praised Howard University for its commitment to confronting HIV in Washington, D.C. – one of the areas most affected by AIDS in the United States, with approximately one in twenty of the city’s residents living with HIV.

“This university has done so much to raise awareness to unmet needs at every level of society – and you have been a great partner in the global fight against AIDS. Faculty and students at Howard are addressing HIV on multiple fronts as scholars, scientists and activists,” said Dr Piot. “The world must follow your example. That is the only way we will ever get ahead of this epidemic,” he added.

Howard University’s hospital was the first in the United States to routinely offer HIV testing to all patients; its law students run a legal clinic for people living with HIV; and the university recently convened a conference on the global AIDS response.

In his speech, sponsored by the National Minority AIDS Council, D.C.-based AIDS service organization the Women’s Collective, and Howard’s Student Health Center and Women’s Health Institute, the UNAIDS Executive Director also highlighted the important role of the United States in funding the global AIDS response.

“PEPFAR [the United States’ President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief] enabled us to make a quantum leap forward against AIDS,” Dr Piot said. “With PEPFAR, the global discussion about responding to AIDS stopped being about ‘millions’ and started being about ‘billions.’ PEPFAR runs out next year, giving the United States a unique opportunity to continue its support of a truly global effort.

”Later this week, Dr. Piot will speak at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington. He will also travel to Boston to give the keynote speech at a symposium at Harvard University Medical School on children and AIDS.

 

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“El sida nos está forzando a cambiar la forma de proceder, de ver las cosas, y está transformando la manera en que actuamos”, dijo Peter Piot, director ejecutivo de ONUSIDA, en la conferencia Payne 2007, celebrada en la Universidad de Stanford el 9 de mayo.

En sus explicaciones, que apoyó con estadísticas, Piot reflexionó sobre la evolución de la epidemia y la respuesta, y sobre cómo el sida está cambiando el mundo. También subrayó algunos de los principales desafíos que se plantearán en el futuro a la hora de continuar con la respuesta al sida a largo plazo.

“Aún estamos en medio de una crisis. Ocho mil personas mueren cada día de sida”, afirmó.

El director ejecutivo de ONUSIDA hizo hincapié en que el sida se ha vuelto uno de los desafíos más serios a los que se haya tenido que enfrentar nuestro planeta, figurando junto con el cambio climático, el terrorismo internacional y la amenaza de guerra nuclear como “uno de los problemas que caracterizan nuestro tiempo”.

También señaló que se han logrado progresos significativos en muchos frentes, entre los que se incluyen el descenso de la tasa de infección y el aumento de la disponibilidad de los medicamentos antirretrovíricos. Además, destacó que el sida también se ha convertido en el motor del cambio social, contribuyendo, por ejemplo, al movimiento de los derechos de los homosexuales al fomentar la concienciación y al transmitir una concepción más sana y abierta de la sexualidad y de los roles de género.

Sin embargo también señaló que aún queda mucho por hacer.

“La verdad es que después de 25 o 26 años desde que se detectó el sida, no podemos vislumbrar el final de esta epidemia. El sida es un problema mundial y multigeneracional”, dijo.

“Necesitamos la participación de los jóvenes en la lucha contra el sida porque no va a desaparecer de un día para otro”, añadió.

Aproximadamente 65 millones de personas se han infectado por el VIH desde 1891. Lo que comenzó como una enfermedad asociada a hombres de clase media que mantenían relaciones sexuales con otros hombres es ahora un problema universal.

“Hay países en el sur de África en los que el 30-40% de los adultos son seropositivos”, indicó Piot. “Sólo imagínense lo que eso supondría en California: de 10 a 20 millones de personas viviendo con el VIH”.

Afirmó que estas cifras están asolando especialmente a los países que tienen sistemas sanitarios deficientes. Asimismo, apuntó que la epidemia se está expandiendo de forma alarmante por la Antigua Unión Soviética y por la India.

“El sida actúa en la sociedad como el VIH en el cuerpo humano: debilita el sistema inmunitario de la misma manera que debilita la resistencia de una sociedad”, afirmó. “Debilita la capacidad para soportar y afrontar situaciones difíciles”.

Peter Piot añadió que, en su condición de enfermedad excepcional, el sida requiere una respuesta excepcional, y resumió un número de desafíos futuros, entre los que se incluyen aumentar y mantener el compromiso político y la financiación, asegurar que el dinero llegue a las personas que más lo necesitan, avanzar en el desarrollo científico y abordar los factores impulsores de la epidemia de sida (como las desigualdades de género y la violencia contra las mujeres, el estigma y la discriminación relacionados con el VIH, y la marginación de los homosexuales, los consumidores de drogas y los emigrantes).

“Existe un gran estigma y una gran discriminación vinculados a la enfermedad y esto es lo que la hace única”, afirmó Piot. “Su relación con el sexo y las drogas es lo que provoca que sea tan difícil de abordar”.

Piot habló de una “alianza brillante” que combinaría los esfuerzos de los políticos, grandes compañías, sindicatos e instituciones religiosas para combatir la enfermedad, y añadió: “Necesitamos las mentes más brillantes y creativas para vencer la epidemia”.

 

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Fotografía: ONUSIDA/R.Searcey

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot, AIDS activist Lynn Murchison and Hunger Project President Joan Holmes took part in an event in New York to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Speaking at the event, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the importance of accountability – the theme of this year’s Worlds AIDS Day – by saying, “ Accountability requires every President and Prime Minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that “AIDS stops with me”.

Dr Piot gave a brief overview of the epidemic saying that the latest global AIDS figures give reason for concern and for some hope. He also highlighted the need for more attention to be brought to women and girls.

Ms Holmes took the opportunity to endorse the recent recommendation of the Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence for the creation of a new, unified and ambitiously funded agency for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The event was chaired by Rev. Kevin Bean and attended by approximately 400 people. It was organized by The Hunger Project, UNAIDS and St. Bartholomew’s Church and co-sponsored by African Regional Youth Initiative, EngenderHealth, The Interfaith Center of New York, Islamic Cultural Center of New York, MaAfrika Tikkun, Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development, Population Council, World Council of Churches and World Council of Conservative Synagogues. Entertainment was provided by PG and Love Choir and Salah.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was joined by UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot and leaders of different faiths to commemorate World AIDS Day at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in New York. The gathering in New York was one of a host of events taking place around the world to mark World AIDS Day 2006.

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All photo credit : B. Hamilton

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS welcomes U.S. Senate approval of the “Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde Global Leadership on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008.” With this key vote, the U.S. government has taken another major step in keeping its commitment to the global AIDS response.

UN General Assembly Convenes High-Level Meeting on AIDS - Governments to review progress on access to HIV treatment and prevention