Regional Consultation on AIDS, TB, Malaria from Apr 4 to 7

New Delhi, Mar 30 (UNI) A four-day regional consultation on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis would be organised here from April 4 to exchange ideas and experiences in tackling the three dreaded diseases by the countries of Asia and Pacific region and to devise common strategies to control them.

The Regional Consultation titled, 'Confronting HIV, as well as tuberculosis and malaria: An Asia Stakeholders' Consultation' is being organised by the Health Ministry alongwith the European Commission and UNAIDS, WHO and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The Consultation would build on recent national, regional and international experiences providing the key, public, civil society and private partners involved--including networks of people living with HIV and TB--to exchange ideas and experiences from Asia and Pacific and to agree upon common strategies that will help the communities and governments in the region, Mr Alexander Spachis of the European Union told reporters here.

The consultation would deliberate on the issues of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and support and systems issues in concurrent sessions. The outcome would culminate into a declaration that will identify regional targets for adaption and action.

Delegates for the consulation would include public, private and civil society representatives from selected countries in Asia and Pacific including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, he informed.

Investment in health and health systems are increasingly considered as the crucial links between social well being, economic growth and social justice. Many Asian countries are challenged by the heavy disease burden from HIV/TB and malaria which affects poor and vulnerable people further aggravating their economic situation. Yet for all these diseases we have tools to control and better manage them and the challenge is to make them available to those who need them, he said.

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