MULHOLLAND BACKS AIDS CAMPAIGN

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 1st Dec 2005

Today, on World Aids Day, Greg Mulholland MP for Leeds North West visited the World Aids Day Bus at Westminster. He said: "World AIDS Day is about people getting the facts about HIV and AIDS. It's a day for people to get involved and there are many ways in which you can do so.

"HIV is one of the biggest social, economic and health challenges in the world. It is a global emergency claiming over 8,000 lives every day. In fact 5 people die of AIDS every minute. The global AIDS seriously undermines efforts to eradicate poverty and its affects in the least developed countries are devastating. I feel it is vital therefore that we work to provide The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with the funds it needs to continue its work. The $3.7 billion of pledges for 2006 and 2007 which were agreed at the recent conference in London in September is simply not good enough and falls too far short of the $7.1 billion which is needed."[1]

"It is also important to remember that with testing and proper treatment, through anti-HIV drugs, many people in the UK are now able to halt or delay the damage caused by HIV."

[1] http://www.avert.org/global-fund.htm