Fiji urged to intensify HIV/AIDS fight as rates of infection increase
Pastor Dale Morgan
Updated: 02-011-2007 By andhracafe
Wellington, Feb 11 (Xinhua) The Fiji government has been urged to
redouble its efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS now or pay dearly
later.
The call from UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS,
comes after Fiji's Ministry of Health released figures showing a sharp
increase in the number of people living with HIV and AIDS, reported
Fijilive Friday.
The figures show that there were about 50 new cases in 2006 compared to
30 in 2005 and four cases in 1996.
UNAIDS Pacific program Coordinator, Stuart Watson said Wednesday because
the overall HIV prevalence rates remain low in the Pacific, the sense of
urgency for action has yet to reach fever pitch.
Watson said UNAIDS acknowledges the Fiji Government's commitment to
fight HIV and AIDS.
'We hope the Interim Government will not reduce the budget for HIV and
AIDS. Finance is one component of the fight, we also require
unprecedented cooperation, coordination and a framework for moving
together at country level,' he said.