Anti-AIDS demo held at PMI in New York

New York, June 1 (UNI) Anti-AIDS activists have demanded that New Delhi reinforce its commitment to drastically reduce the prevalence of the disease, and held a demonstration in front of the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) to the United Nations here.

''In 2001, the Indian government committed to reducing HIV prevalence by 2005. Instead there has been a 32 per cent increase in AIDS cases and an additional 1.3 million people infected with HIV. Lack of effective action by the Indian government is costing lives every day,'' Dr Vineeta Gupta, director of the Stop HIV/AIDS in India Initiative (SHAII), told a rally outside the PMI.

She demanded universal access to AIDS treatment and prevention in communities around the world through strengthening affordable basic health-care systems.

Demonstrations were also held yesterday, 25 years since the first AIDS case was detected, in front of permanent missions of Nigeria, Uganda and the United States. They were held by activists from around the world as world representatives, including some heads of state, were attending a major AIDS conference at the United Nations.

According to a statement issued by rally organisers, aside from Dr Gupta other prominent demonstrators included Rosie Perez, actress-director; Sipho Mthathi, Treat Action Campaign, South Africa; and Violetta Ross, Bolivian Network of People Living with AIDS; and Waheeda Shabazz, ACTUP Philadelphia.

While millions of people in India urgently require anti-viral treatment, the Indian government has failed to disburse a 37 million dollars grant from the Global Fund to scale up treatment programmes that could potentially have saved more than 45,000 lives.

''With 70,000 children in dire need of anti-retroviral treatment, only 1,048 are currently receiving such treatment. When will our government speed up action to save lives?'' the statement quoted Dr Priya Ranjan of the Association for India's Development, Maryland.

Organisers of the rallies and demonstrations included ACTUP, African Services Committee, American Jewish World Service, Gay Men's Health Crisis and New York City AIDS Housing Network.

SHAII, based in Washington, advocates policies that help fight the AIDS crisis in India. It links the health movement in India with international advocacy to address the urgency of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country.

UNI XC DKS KP1958