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ShareJuly 19, 2012 — The end of AIDS is within our reach. But as the authors of a new special supplement in the August, 2012 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiencies (JAIDS) point out, new financial investments -- and renewed commitments -- from countries around the world will be critical to fully implement proven treatment and prevention tools already at hand and to continue essential scientific research.
"Only then will an AIDS-free generation be possible," write the supplement's editors -- Richard Marlink, Wafaa El-Sadr, Mariangela Simao and Elly Katabira -- in their introduction.
"Are we willing to pay the price to turn the dream into a reality?" they ask.
Entitled "Engaging to End the Epidemic: Seven Essential Steps Toward an AIDS-Free Generation," the supplement identifies the seven key areas where money and political will must be focused to end AIDS. These include:
- The promise and challenges of using antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to prevent HIV transmission
- New AIDS treatments, improving the ARV pipeline to treat those infected, and working toward a cure
- Enhancing the role of government leaders, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOS) in driving local and national responses to the epidemic
- Narrowing health disparities in preventing and treating AIDS caused by economic disempowerment, discrimination, and stigma
- Preventing AIDS transmission from mothers to babies in low- and middle-income countries where access to prevention services are most limited, but where new drug interventions show AIDS could be virtually eliminated in infants and children
- Funding the pursuit for AIDS vaccines, which are necessary to actually eliminate the disease
- Maximizing and growing current investments in the global AIDS response, rather than decreasing funding. In addition to its humanitarian impact, money spent going forward is a good global and local investment because improving and sustaining people's health enables them to be productive members of society contributing to the growth of their nations' economies.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Harvard School of Public Health, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Marlink, Richard; El-Sadr, Wafaa; Simao, Mariangela; Katabira, Elly. Engaging to End the Epidemic: Seven Essential Steps Toward an AIDS-Free Generation. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, August 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31826028d5
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
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