Achieving global targets of ending AIDS epidemic requires political will: India to UN

India has said that achieving global targets of ending AIDS epidemic requires political will that ensures expansion of community-led approaches to HIV treatment, besides a rapid roll-out of improved testing and treatment combinations.

First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Sandeep Kumar Bayyapu said here yesterday that concerted global efforts and commitments at national level have resulted in measurable progress in containing the epidemic.

Globally majority of people living with HIV are now receiving treatment and deaths caused by AIDS have declined by one third since 2010.

The world is on the halfway mark in the implementation of the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

We understand that the full achievement of the agreed targets by 2020 requires further efforts and above all, political will to ensure the expansion of community-led, people-centred approaches to HIV treatment, immediate linkage to and retention in care, and adherence to treatment.

"The rapid roll-out of new and improved testing and treatment combinations also remain critical, he said at a session on Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS."