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Funds not enough to counter HIV/Aids

SABC, 19 July 2001, 06:54 PM

Resources made available by governments to battle the HIV/Aids pandemic did not match the scale of the plague, Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said in Genoa, Italy today.

Vavi said statistics indicated that HIV/Aids was the single most potent danger to humanity but governments, affected countries and world leaders were not releasing funds to match the scale of threat. He and other international trade unionists met with G8 summit host Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today.

Vavi said discussions to establish a global fund to fight the scourge were appreciated but hoped that the end result was not disappointing. We await with greatest anticipation for the details and hope that we shall not be disappointed.

Vavi said there had been a comprehensive response from the world that included affordable treatment, education and poverty eradication for the disease's elimination. Education and awareness, elimination of poverty, dealing with the challenge of underdevelopment, cancelling of the odious debt all have to be part of the total strategy.

The G8 summit begins in Genoa on Friday. - Sapa