EUROPE/SWITZERLAND - HIV/AIDS treatment and assistance must be free for all patients in developing countries: public health experts, economists and NGOs appeal for donors

Rome (Fides Service) - An alliance of experts, institutions and NGOs will present the “Free by Five” declaration today to the World Ban, World Health Organisation WHO, and , UNAIDS and other organisations involved in the battle to fight HIV/AIDS. The declaration says HIV/AIDS treatment and assistance must be free for all patients in developing countries. “Free by Five” follows a “Three by Five” plan launched a year ago by the WHO to provide antiretroviral (ARV) drugs against HIV/AIDS to 3 million patients by 2005.
At least 5 million of the 40 million HIV+ persons in the world urgently need ARV treatment but only 440,000 have access to this treatment. In Africa only 4% of HIV/AIDS sufferers have access to treatment. Even in developing countries where the cheapest type of ARV are beginning to arrive, many patients are dying because they cannot afford the prescription charge. Free treatment is the only rational and consistent measure from the medical, humanitarian, economic and public health point of view.
“Free by Five” initiative launched by the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research division - Heard of the South African KwaZulu-Natal University won support from experts in the battle against AIDS all over the world. So far 700 people have signed the declaration which calls on international donors to actively promote the diffusion of free treatment and to assign more resources for the struggle against AIDS. Signatories call on WHO and UNAIDS to adopt clear formal guidelines on the necessity for free HIV treatment.

(AP) (14/12/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:27; Parole:333)