Statement by Gordon Brown, on 20th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day, 1 December 2008.
“Today is World AIDS Day, and marks the 20th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day, when leaders from across the world came together in a united global effort to halt the spread of HIV. In the last 20 years significant progress has been made in the fight against HIV and AIDS, in the UK, in developing countries and throughout the world.
But the impact of AIDS remains immense, affecting families across the UK, and affecting some of the poorest parts of the world most of all. Nearly 7,000 people every day are becoming infected with HIV and over 5,700 are dying. For every two people put on treatment there are 5 people newly infected. And across much of the developing world, fewer than a third of those who need anti-retrovirals have access to them, and coverage of key AIDS services remains unacceptably low.
I am proud that the UK is a leader in the global efforts to tackle AIDS. We have committed £6 billion for spending on health over seven years to 2015 and an additional £1 billion to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This week we are launching a new international Taskforce on Innovative Financing for Health Systems to generate new ways of ensuring long-term sustainable funding for health. And I call on leaders across the world to hold firm to their promises to improve the health of the poorest, even in the midst of the current economic challenges.
But AIDS is not just a problem for developing countries; it is a challenge we must all grapple with. That is why the government continues to invest in education, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS and improve the quality of life for those infected and affected by the virus. That is why the government has increased funding to enable healthcare providers to meet their sexual health targets, and why particular effort is being placed on improving preventative interventions for homosexual men for whom rates of diagnoses have continued to increase. And that is why this year’s World AIDS Day focuses on the simple actions all of us can take to support those living with HIV and AIDS, to tackle prejudice wherever it occurs, and to protect ourselves and each other from infection.
On this day, we remember those who have lost their lives to this terrible virus and those who have suffered from prejudice, misunderstanding or from lack of available treatment and support. We give thanks to all those who continue to fight to improve the prospects of all those carrying or at risk of the virus. And we stand together across the world in hope that the extraordinary advances in science and human capability will soon bring a cure and an end to suffering.”
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