WHO Regional Director for Africa urges immense effort to reduce the number of people infected with HIV in the African Region.Luanda, 2 December 2005 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo stated in Luanda, last Friday that countries of the African Region can significantly reduce the number of people infected with HIV. However, he said that would require immense effort in terms of resources and organization, for prevention and treatment.

"These problems should be addressed promptly so that more lives can be saved", he added.

Data presented in Luanda by WHO experts show that sub-Saharan Africa has the highest percentage of people infected with HIV/AIDS, accounting for 25 million of the total of the 40.3 million people infected worldwide. Similarly, of the 5 million new cases of infection recorded worldwide in 2005, 3.2 million were in Africa.

Dr Luis Gomes Sambo said that these figures represent what he called "a true silent disaster, worsened by factors such as poverty and ignorance". He urged greater political commitment on the part of African governments and stressed that both the effort and the progress in reversing the current trend of HIV/AIDS are inadequate.

"If we want to significantly reduce the number of people living with HIV/AIDS, we should ensure that there is universal access to prevention interventions, treatment and other forms of care. Although this objective is within our reach, its achievement calls for immense efforts matching the magnitude of the problem. That effort should start at the individual, municipal, provincial and country levels, with the application of knowledge and technologies that have already proven their effectiveness in other countries", Dr Sambo stated at the closing of the First Congress on Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS in the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP). The Congress which took place in Luanda from 29 November to 02 December 2005 brought together government officials, health professionals, medical students, social workers, AIDS activists, researchers, teachers, religious leaders, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations and others.

HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment: two sides of a same coin

Citing prevention and treatment as two major components of HIV/AIDS control, the Regional Director said they were two sides of a same coin.

"Nearly 4 million people in Africa need antiretroviral therapy. Yet, as at June 2005, only 500 000 people were covered. Although we set ourselves the goal of covering 2 million cases by the end of 2005, our projections are that only 1 million people will be covered by the end of the year, which represents only 50% of our set goal", he noted.

Addressing the issue of prevention, Dr Luis Sambo acknowledged that achievements in the last two decades have not been very encouraging and called on the youths to participate more actively in that effort.

"Prevention is the only means to reduce the incidence of AIDS. That is why WHO and Member States of the African Region have declared 2006 as the Year for accelerating interventions to prevent HIV infection", he emphasized.

The WHO Regional Director urged greater social mobilization, more and better information on infection risks and increased emphasis on behaviour change to ensure responsible sexuality at very least risk.

Dr Luis Sambo expressed optimism in the light of the successes achieved in some countries of the Region such as Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Senegal which are all reversing the increasing trend of HIV infection. He added that this example should stimulate other countries in the Region.

Regarding the importance of that Congress, the WHO Regional Director lauded the very commendable examples of some Lusophone countries like Portugal and Brazil which have managed to keep HIV/AIDS at low levels of prevalence. "Good practices adaptable to different contexts exist and WHO is offering its technical expertise in order to cooperate actively with CPLP countries", he added.

Before officially closing the Congress, Dr Sambo said: "we are counting on the international community for togetherness in fulfilling the promise made in June 2001 at the Extraordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly during which heads of state and representatives of member countries made a commitment to intensify AIDS prevention and control worldwide".

He ended by encouraging researchers and the scientific community to keep up their efforts to find new knowledge and technology to solve the health problems of mankind.

The First Congress on Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV/AIDS was held in Luanda under the theme: "United for a healthy living", as part of an initiative of the Eduardo dos Santos Foundation (FESA) and the Ministry of Health, Angola.

For more information, please contact:

WHO Representative, Angola , Tel.: (244) 222 33 23 98 - Fax: (244) 222 33 23 14 - email: wr [at] ao.afro.who.int