India suggests formulation of pressure group on HIV :

[Guest guest]

India suggests formulation of pressure group on HIV :

New Delhi, Oct 25 : Regretting meagre funding on HIV/AIDS, India today

suggested formulation of a pressure group to influence international

policy and funding on HIV/AIDS and invited Brazil and South Africa to

join hands with it for the same.

" Leaders in our three countries - India, Brazil and South Africa -

should join hands and persuade the developed world to spend more on

HIV/AIDS at the forthcoming World Economic Forum (WEF), " Sibal said

here at the inauguration of the first meeting of the Science and

Technology ministers under the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) forum.

There should be a group on the lines of G-20 in WTO, Sibal said adding

" a core group of leaders of three countries will help in bringing

other countries at the forefront on the issue. " Currently only 3.6

billion US dollars is being spent on the disease while experts had

advocated that by this year about 8-10 billion dollars should be

allocated for HIV/AIDS by the international community. In contrast,

developed countries spent about 300 billion dollars on agricultural

subsidies, he said.

Sibal said that research should emphasise on development of

microbicides and vaccine to prevent AIDS spread. There should be a

focus on international cooperation and capacity building. Currently,

the focus was more on care and treatment which was also required, he said.

India was working on a legislation on HIV/AIDS in which he was

actively involved, he said. PTI

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