必須加大力度應對艾滋病

　　6月29日VOA聽力：必需加鼎力度應答艾滋病

　　A new report warned if treatment and preventionmethods for HIV/AIDS are not expanded now, theepidemic could rebound within five years. UNAIDSand the Lancet Commission said whileunprecedented progress has been made againstthe disease, the rate of new infections still is notfalling fast enough.

　　UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé described the next five years as a “fragile window ofopportunity to fast-track the response and end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.” He warned ifno action is taken, the “human and financial consequences will be catastrophic.”

　　Tim Martineau, UNAIDS Chief of Staff, said, “It’s a very serious message. We actually think it’squite a positive message. We think that there has been enormous progress in the AIDSresponse. What we’re saying is that this next five year window is incredibly important if wewant to see the end of AIDS by 2030 as a public health problem.”

　　Martineau said current efforts simply won’t be enough to meet demand.

　　“Current efforts basically are doing an enormous amount of good. But what we will see overthe next few years is a bulge in young people within the population, particularly. That will havea significant impact on the nature of the epidemic. And if you combine this with a growingnumber of people living with HIV – a growing number of people who still do not know theirstatus – then there is a risk that we will not get in front of the epidemic.”

　　Populations at high risk for HIV infection vary by region.

　　He said, “If you’re in southern Africa and you’re a young woman, you’re at greatest risk. Ifyou’re men who have sex with men and you’re in Europe, then you’re probably at significantrisk. In Eastern Europe and in Russia, then we would look particularly at drugs users. There isquite a regional variation within the epidemic.”

　　Countries, Martineau said, will have to tailor their response to the epidemic as a result.

　　UNAIDS hopes to announce this year that 15 million people are receiving anti-retroviral drugs –a goal set by the international community. However, Martineau says there may be millions morewho need the drugs, but are not aware of their HIV status.

　　“We’ve anticipated that we do need to increase the amount of money provided for theresponse. We obviously are looking to see the international communities provide resources, asthey have done so far and it continues to stay stable. We’re encouraged to see countries areincreasing their own financing for the response and it will need to increase over time. But wealso anticipate with better strategic information, better innovations in the way that servicesare provided, we should be able to see better efficiency so that we’re getting the best fromthe resources currently being provided,” he said.

　　The UNAIDS / Lancet Commission report warned against complacency.

　　“There is a strong international response to the epidemic still. But there is a concern that aswe achieve great results that that will mean that people believe that the epidemic is over. Andwhat we’re trying to say is it’s not over. Use the next five years to make sure that we do see anend in sight. Otherwise, things will continue to deteriorate,” said Martineau.

　　He said expanding efforts against HIV should include more funding, greater access totreatment for drug users, wider availability of condoms, an increase in male circumcision,greater use of antiretrovirals as a prevention method and legal efforts to ban discriminationagainst the LGBT community.

　　Martineau added that to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic there must be a close relationship amongpolitical leaders, scientists, activists and NGOs. It’s a model he said that can be used to solveother health problems, as well.

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