DATE=9/22/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=WHO / ANTI-RETROVIRAL (L-O)

NUMBER=2-307780

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The World Health Organization says it is planning to provide low-cost anti-AIDS drugs to three-million victims of the disease in developing countries by the end of 2005. Lisa Schlein reports from W-H-O headquarters in Geneva, the agency says most of the drug treatment will go to help people in Africa, the continent most severely affected by H-I-V / AIDS.

TEXT: The head of W-H-O's new initiative on H-I-V treatment, Dr. Charlie Gilks, says, in sub-Saharan Africa, where most of the people in need of treatment live, only 50-thousand are receiving it.

/// GILKS ACT ///

Sub-Saharan Africa constitutes at least two-thirds of the global AIDS burden. And approximately one percent only of those in need in sub-Saharan Africa are receiving treatment. So, clearly, Africa is the most proximate region for us to work in where the treatment gap is the most severe.

/// END ACT ///

The World Health Organization says about six-million people in developing countries are infected with H-I-V, the virus that causes AIDS.

It says many of these people could look forward to years of productive life, if they received anti-retroviral treatment. But fewer than 300-thousand worldwide are receiving the drugs they need.

Dr. Gilks says W-H-O has a provisional list of about 34 countries where immediate action is needed. Twenty-four of these countries are in sub-Saharan Africa.

He says it will cost about 100-million dollars a year to provide low cost drugs to three-million AIDS victims.

Among other things, the money will be used to assist countries in purchasing and financing medicines, in training thousands of health workers to deliver the treatment and in helping developing countries to strengthen their health services.

Dr. Gilks says W-H-O has declared the lack of anti-retroviral treatment for millions of AIDS sufferers a global health emergency.

/// 2ND GILKS ACT ///

We hope that by declaring a global emergency that people will view this immoral and inexcusable treatment gap, a lack of speed of filling it, as an emergency which requires new and peculiar (specific) responses.

/// END ACT ///

The World Health Organization says it plans to publish a comprehensive global strategy for providing anti-AIDS drugs to three-million people by World AIDS Day, December First.

But Dr. Gilks says W-H-O hopes to have emergency teams working in 10 countries even before then. (SIGNED)

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