Bogota, 1 Dec (EFE).-Latin America, where there are 1.5 million infected with HIV, today announced new efforts in the fight against AIDS aimed, mainly, to reduce to zero new infections and deaths and prevent transmission mother-child of the virus, as well as to combat discrimination.
Latin America actions have responded to the call of the UN, which this year focused precisely, the world day of the fight against AIDS in the goal of reaching zero new infections by the Virus of human immunodeficiency (HIV), which in 2010 amounted to 2.7 billion worldwide, 21% less than recorded in 1997.
On that line, Brazil, recognized for their prevention policies and their struggle for access to low-cost medicines, launched the campaign “AIDS has no prejudices.” “Prevent”, addressed to young gays and transvestites, one of the groups in which most increased the rate of infection in recent years (10.1 per cent in the last 12 years).
Also in the area of prevention, in Ecuador, where it is estimated that there are currently at least 18,000 people living with HIV, the Red Cross announced its support for measures aimed to educate the public about the disease, to combat drug abuse and the promotion of sport, to avoid situations of “vulnerability”.
In Nicaragua, where 6.406 cases of infection with HIV have been detected since 1987, the Government considers that AIDS became a “problem of development”, decided to devote more resources and opened a laboratory of molecular biology in order to combat and prevent this and other diseases.
While in El Salvador, which since 1984 has registered 27,000 cases of HIV, the representative of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), José Ruales, stressed that this nation “reached a coverage of 74.5% of adults with HIV” receiving treatment.
“The progress we have made prove that can meet the challenge of having zero discrimination and zero zero new infections the AIDS-related deaths”, considered the Secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, who today urged countries to contemplate increased funding to put an end to the problem.
In this regard, the Government of Guatemala recalled today that invests about 19,08 million of dollars in treatment for those infected with HIV, while the programme of the United Nations on AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Red Cross launched the initiative “To see to understand”, in order to combat discrimination in that nation centroamericana.
Also several institutions Mexico, where there is free access to antiretroviral drugs since 2003, requested that will strengthen actions aimed at combating the stigmatization of those suffering from AIDS, which has affected about 150,000 people since 1983 in the country.
In addition, PAHO highlighted progress made by some countries of the region, such as Cuba (which has an average of one or two annual of infected children births), in reducing transmission mother-child of HIV.
PAHO, regional agency of the World Health Organization (who), estimated that the call rate of vertical transmission in Latin America and the Caribbean is 15%, “significantly higher” than the 2% that is required to achieve the elimination, but lower than 35% reported prior to the interventions of health public.
In this respect, United States.UU. and Dominican Republic, nation in which some 58,000 people are carriers of the virus – 60 per cent of them women–signed an agreement to reduce the transmission of HIV from mother to child to less than 2% with a strategy that will run in 16 Dominican hospitals.
On Thursday, several countries also took to agitate for universal access to therapies by people.
At Honduras, where 29.257 people have contracted HIV since the first case was recorded in 1985, thousands of people marched to raise awareness about the seriousness of the problem, with messages alluding to fidelity of the couple, the use of condoms and messages about the high cost of treatment and discrimination.
And the emblematic Buenos Aires Obelisco, dressed in red to mark the world day to combat AIDS, disease in Argentina affecting about 130,000 people, half of them unknown condition.
Also Thursday, the Government of Colombia, country in which since 1983 has been 83.467 cases of infection by HIV, he issued a postage stamp official in connection with the world day against AIDS.
And in Paraguay, where there are 13,000 carriers of HIV, the Health Ministry supported a day of awareness in downtown Asuncion.
Some people performed acrobatics from the tip of the Obelisk of Buenos Aires to commemorate the world day to combat AIDS, disease in Argentina affecting about 130,000 people, half of them unknown status. EFE
