PHL HIV/AIDS commitment highlighted at UNGA 65th session

MANILA, June 30 (PNA) — The Philippines’ commitment in combating HIV/AIDS was highlighted during the plenary meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS at the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.

In the country statement delivered by Health Undersecretary David Lozada Jr., he said that the Philippines, with six other countries, face challenges similar to the early years of the AIDS epidemic when high prevalent countries struggled to minimize the impact of a then rapidly growing epidemic.

Lozada stated that efforts by countries which have been able to reduce their HIV incidence by 25 percent between 2001 and 2009 must be translated and shared with now similarly-affected countries that struggle from inadequate resources to ensure and sustain universal access as well as eliminate discrimination.

Although factors that influence the evolution of HIV epidemics remain complex as they may also influence other developmental issues, Lozada mentioned that it is precisely the knowledge of what the drivers of the epidemic are that makes for fine argument how to confront it as efficiently directed and not which borders on trial and error.

“The promises contained in the declaration should be taken seriously. Accountability must be preserved within nations and organizations,” said Lozada.

He ended the statement by saying, “There must be continuous feedback that aims to alter decisions and even dismiss existing assumptions if only to do things better and sooner. Let us not prevaricate as the modern plague virus continues to mutate, perhaps as easily as we can imagine. Thirty years is not enough to justify the existence of HIV. We all must remain united as ever before.” (PNA)