World Aids Day: UNAIDS head says the epidemic can end by 2030

According to a UNAIDS press release, India has the largest HIV epidemic in Asia with an estimated  2.1 million people living with aids in 2013. Though these figures are alarming, with the progress made in the last 30 years to fight the virus, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé feels strongly that the epidemic can be eradicated by 2030 if health systems are strengthened and essential services are provided.

Since 2005, new HIV infections have dropped by 19% , 36% of people living with HIV are receiving life-saving treatment and AIDS-related deaths have dropped by 38% in India, stated the press release. In Maharashtra, figures show, there has been a dip in HIV cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the state. On Monday,the Mumbai District Aids Control Society (MDACS) opened its first integrated counselling and testing centre (ICTC) in the Mumbai Port Trust premises for truckers.

The India Experience

Earlier this year, from September 10-15, a newly formed Korean Women against AIDS (KOWA) organisation visited India to gather factual information to understand Aids in India. The organisation working through women parliamentarians and senior business leaders advocates for greater engagement in the Republic of Korea to end the Aids epidemic in Asia, Africa and across the globe. "This was an extremely moving fact-finding mission. All Korean Women against AIDS members came away with a strong commitment to support the AIDS response, especially preventing HIV transmission from mother to child," said You Jee-Young, Member of Parliament, Republic of Korea in the press release.

While in India, the organisation visited the HIV Vaccine Translational Research Laboratory in New Delhi and the KB Bhabha Hospital in Mumbai, which has a prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission centre, to learn how  antiretroviral treatment can prevent babies from being born with HIV and keep their mothers alive. The group also visited non-governmental organisations to understand what type of counselling services were being provided for women and children living with HIV.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, urged the Korean Women against AIDS (KOWA) organisation to make the trip to India in order to experience the AIDS response first-hand. Sidibé was delighted with the action of the women. "I congratulate Korean Women against AIDS for turning words into action and coming to India to learn about the HIV epidemic," said Sidibé. "I am sure this trip will enable Korean Women against AIDS to broaden support in the Republic of Korea for further engagement in the AIDS response," Sidibé added, in the press release.

Ending the Aids epidemic

Sidibé said in order to close the gap and end the aids epidemic by 2030, we must take advantage of the opportunities presented to us currently. "We have a short five-year window of opportunity to reach the people who are being left behind, people who have been denied their rights-young women and adolescent girls, men who have sex with men, migrants, prisoners, sex workers, people who inject drugs," said Sidibé. He suggests health systems need to be strengthened in order to provide the essential services needed.

To mark World Aids Day, Sidibé made a speech in a video message to remind the world of the progress, achievements and the work ahead  needed to fight HIV. In his speech, Sidibé states that the fear and stigma of AIDs started just like the current epidemic, Ebola. "The Ebola outbreak reminds us of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. People were hiding and scared. Stigma and discrimination were widespread. There were no medicines and there was little hope," said Sidibé.

Sidibé declared that millions of lives have been saved  by breaking "the conspiracy of  silence" and "the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic​" and working together. "Thanks to global solidarity, social mobilisation and civil society activism, we have been able, together, to transform tragedy into opportunity," said Sidibé.

Advocacy group, ONE campaign, working to end poverty and preventable disease in Africa says the AIDS pandemic has finally reached its tipping point and there are still greater efforts to be made to completely eradicate AIDS completely. The group echoes Sidibé's message in order to make his hope of ending the epidemic by 2030 a reality.

Watch: UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé deliver his World AIDS Day 2014 message