Press Release
UNAIDS welcomes ASEAN’s pledge to Fast-Track the HIV response
BANGKOK, 20 September 2016 - The Heads of State of the ten Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states have endorsed the ASEAN Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS: Fast-Tracking and Sustaining HIV and AIDS responses to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. This endorsement occurred during the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits which took place in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 6-8 September. UNAIDS welcomes ASEAN's commitment to accelerate action by focusing HIV programmes on key populations and priority geographical areas and scaling-up and strengthening the coverage, reach and quality of a continuum of comprehensive HIV services. The countries committed to ensuring that there is equal access to high-quality prevention, treatment, care and support services and to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. They also promised to ensure that no one is denied services because of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
“ASEAN is a leader and innovator in the HIV response,” said Steve Kraus, Director of UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific. “Its member states have some of the most groundbreaking HIV programmes in the world and this latest commitment shows how this region will continue to lead the way towards the end of the AIDS epidemic by 2030.”
ASEAN's commitment follows the adoption in June by United Nations Member States of a new Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, which called on countries to Fast-Track their response to HIV over the coming years.
In 2015, about 1.8 million were living with HIV in ASEAN countries, which accounted for 36% of all people living with in Asia and the Pacific region. With 120 000 new HIV infections, ASEAN represented about 40% of all new infections in the region in 2015.
ASEAN Declaration
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Contact
UNAIDS Bangkok | Saya Oka | tel. +66 2680 4128 | okas@unaids.org
UNAIDS
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Source: UNAIDS
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