SOURCE: The Nigeria-AIDS eForum is a project of Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria. For more information about us, visit our website: http://www.nigeria-aids.org Contact the eForum moderator at: moderator1@nigeria-aids.org UNAIDS releases global HIV/AIDS performance scorecard Olayide Akanni Nigeria-AIDS eForum correspondent Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday 24/09/03: A new UNAIDS global HIV/AIDS performance scorecard released at the ongoing ICASA has revealed that although most African countries have developed strategic frameworks for HIV prevention, only a fraction of people at risk still have meaningful access to basic prevention services. Unless efforts are dramatically scaled up, many African and other member-states of the United Nations will be unable to meet their basic HIV/AIDS prevention and care goals as stated in the declaration adopted at the 2001 meeting of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS). Findings from the report released here on Monday revealed that the current pace of country activity on HIV/AIDS is insufficient to meet the 2005 goals agreed to by all nations two years ago. "A lot has happened over the past two years, but the pace of progress needs to be accelerated. UNGASS was a turning point for including advocacy as a major part of our interventions, but there is still a major gap in moving from advocacy to action", said Mr. Micheal Sidebe, UNAIDS Director of Country and Regional Support. The report, which is a compilation of the national reports of 103 out of the UN's 189 member states, documents a significant increase in the number of nations with comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategic plans and national AIDS councils. Of the countries surveyed, 93 per cent have set up comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategies and national AIDS councils. Some measure of progress had been made with regard to access to antiretroviral therapy, the report said. Countries such Botswana, Cameroon, Nigeria and Uganda were reported to have made serious efforts to increase antiretroviral therapy coverage through both their private and public sectors. However, it also clearly indicates that despite the important progress, numerous countries risk missing the Declaration's due to gaps in six key areas of HIV policy: combating HIV/AIDS discrimination, ensuring women's equal access to critical services, improving access to medicines, addressing the rights and needs of vulnerable populations, promoting effective HIV prevention measures for cross border migrants and mitigating the social and economic impact of AIDS. Olayide Akanni Email: olayide@nigeria-aids.org