Editorial: Macedonia is Ready to Contribute to the Global Efforts Against AIDS

Monday, 27 June 2011 14:50

There is a reason for hope. Thirty years after the appearance of what was then mysterious illness, today we can finally sum up that our continuous efforts to defeat it mark positive results.

In the perios 8-10 June 2011, a great number of world leaders convened in New York City at the United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS. The gathering of Heads of State and other leaders from government, the scientific community, civil society and the private sector offered a unique opportunity to review progress, share lessons learned and chart the future course of the global AIDS response.

The meeting came at a pivotal moment in the history of the epidemic: Thirty years ago, in June 1981, scientists in the United States identified the first case of an immune system failure that would later be defined as AIDS. Ten years ago, at a landmark UN General Assembly Special Session on AIDS, world leaders declared that AIDS was a “global emergency” and called for an “urgent, coordinated and sustained response” to the epidemic.

Now, three decades into the epidemic, we once again review the global scorecard for the AIDS response. According to a recent report of the UN Secretary-General, more than six million HIV positive people were accessing lifesaving antiretroviral treatment in low- and middle-income countries at the end of 2010 - up from just 400,000 in 2003. Over the past decade, the number of people newly infected with HIV declined by nearly 20%. And, for the first time in 2009, more than 50% of HIV-positive women were able to ensure that their babies were born HIV free.

However, the report underscores that the gains are fragile. The HIV epidemic continues to outpace the response, with an estimated two new HIV infections for every individual starting treatment. Global AIDS resources have flat-lined, and critical sources of leadership and accountability remain untapped.

To accelerate progress in the AIDS response, the UN Secretary-General has called on the global community to adopt six goals for the year 2015 - targets that were reviewed and endorsed by participants in the June High Level Meeting on AIDS:

•    Reduce by 50% the sexual transmission of HIV - especially among key populations, and prevent all new HIV infections as a result of injecting drug use;

•    Provide HIV treatment for 15 million people on a global level;

•    Reduce by 50% tuberculosis deaths in people living with HIV;

•    Eliminate HIV transmission from mother to child, keep mothers alive, and improve the health of women, children and families;

•    Ensure equal access to education for children orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS;

•    Reduce by 50% the number of countries with HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence.

In recent years, Republic of Macedonia has made significant progress towards these goals: since 2005 all people with HIV have access to antiretroviral therapy and to treatment monitoring, according to international standards. We haven’t had cases of tuberculosis-related deaths among HIV+ people nor we had HIV+ mothers in delivery services. The number of new HIV cases among the key populations is less than 1 percent and the national response is coordinated under the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which is being successfully implemented and financed with the support of the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Despite all these achievements, there is no room for absolute complacency, as we must keep our focus and enhance out readiness. We must continue supporting the efforts for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases prevention and treatment services. The Government of Republic of Macedonia in partnership with the civil society is implementing programs which are cost-efficient and have contributed to prevention of HIV among key populations, address stigma and discrimination, and most importantly – increase and maintain the Government led HIV financing.

As President of Republic of Macedonia, I am committed to actively support the leadership of the national HIV response, and use every suitable occasion to employ my sincere pledge and to contribute in addressing stigma and discrimination towards HIV positive people.

In this occasion, I am appealing to all citizens to inform and protect themselves and their families, but also to show understanding and to reach out to those that are living with HIV or have AIDS and help them guide normal and productive life.

I am convinced that through joint and coordinated efforts and by having more understanding and commitment, Republic of Macedonia will succeed in dealing with this epidemic and send the fear of HIV to the past. Today we are ready to genuinely contribute towards managing this global challenge.

Dr. Gjorgje Ivanov
President of Republic of Macedonia