Stronger universal action urged to prevent and treat AIDS

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) urges stronger action to meet the ultimate goal of obtaining universal access to prevention and treatment of AIDS by 2010 -- the statement was made by UNFPA Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid on the World AIDS Day, observed each year on December 1, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the statistics published by the Moldovan Ministry of Health on World AIDS Day, in 9 months of this year, there were discovered 602 new cases of HIV/AIDS in Moldova, compared to 560 cases in the similar period last year. Starting from 1987, when the first HIV case was recorded in Moldova, there were discovered 4,733 persons bearing the immunodeficiency virus, including 1,457 persons in the eastern part of the country. The share of cases among heterosexuals is alarmingly rising – from 18.1 percent in 2001 to 69 percent in 2007. The share of HIV-infected women also rose from 26.72 percent in 2001 to 42.1 percent in 2007. Overall in Moldova, 593 persons developed AIDS, 156 of whom died. A third National HIV/AIDS Prophylaxis and Control Program is now unfolding in Moldova, covering the period 2006-2010. To prevent the disease, there was established a service offering free medical examination and advice on AIDS and viral hepatitis B and C, which, according to authorities, has significantly improved the access to the population to such services. The young persons, especially before getting married, are encouraged to get a medical test for HIV. Particular attention is paid to prevention of maternal and fetal HIV infections; pregnant women are advised to get a test twice during pregnancy. HIV-infected pregnant women are provided with free prophylactic antiretroviral treatment, which helped to reduce mother-to-baby transmission rates from 20-50% to 2-3%. The children born to HIV-infected mothers enjoy free baby food. According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children and 15.4 million women. During 2007 some 2.5 million people became newly infected with the virus. It was estimated that 25 million people died from the discovery of the virus, including 5 million children.