WHO/EUROPE - WHO SUPPORTS NEW INITIATIVES TO REDUCE AIDS DRUGS

Rome (Fides Service) – Reduce prices of drugs to treat AIDS in developing countries is one of the most recent initiatives sponsored by the World Health Organisation. “Guarantee therapy for Aids sufferers in the poorest countries is one of the main challenges facing the world today” said Lee Jong-wook Director General of WHO. And if it is fundamental to reduce the price of anti-retroviral drugs it is just as important to improve and speed up distribution, improve health systems, train properly health workers, doctors, nurses and volunteers and guarantee equal access to therapy the world over, said Paulo Teixeira Director of WHO department for HIV/AIDS
With its partners WHO is committed to distributing anti-retroviral therapy to three million people in underdeveloped countries by the end of 2005. (AP) (25/10/2003 Fides Service; lines:16; words:159)