01/12/2004

Britain will lead G8 campaign against Aids

The Prime Minister has pledged that Africa and Aids will be a top priority for world economies under Britain's presidency of G8.

Speaking today to BBC Radio Five Live in an interview to mark world Aids Day, Tony Blair said that Britain was morally bound to tackle the situation in Africa.

Currently one in six children in Africa dies from an Aids related illness.

"Strong local leadership, financial support and health education programmes are the key to fighting the disease," he said. "I think we have got to deal with the reality of the situation, and all the evidence is that where you get a combination of investment into Aids, the drugs, the programmes and you get the right leadership then it works."

Mr Blair recognised that people increasingly view the siutation in Africa as hopeless, but stressed that progress can be made and there are success stories. He added that effective leadership both at local and international level to halt the spread of Aids diseases is vital and that many deaths could be prevented.

Chancellor Gordon Brown is expected to announce details later today of Britain's plans to fund research and development into Aids vaccines. He will argue that if vaccines are made more readily available, an extra two million lives could be saved.

Statistics show that there are now 53,000 adults living with HIV/AIDS in the UK, over a quarter of whom (14,300) remain unaware of their infection. In addition, there were 6,606 new infections diagnosed in the UK during 2003, 58% (3801) of these were amongst heterosexuals, with gay and bisexual men accounting for 26% (1,735).

(mmcg/sp)

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