MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Gallus
This Sunday, thousands of people in more than 1500 communities in 85
countries will participate in the world's biggest and oldest annual grassroots
HIV/AIDS event - the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
The memorial is designed to honour the memory of those lost to HIV/AIDS, show
support for those living with HIV/AIDS and mobilise community involvement in the
fight against the disease.
According to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Mrs Chris Gallus, HIV/AIDS threatens to reverse decades of progress in
developing nations around the world, and HIV/AIDS initiatives will remain a
major funding priority of Australia's overseas aid program in 2002-03.
Following this week's Federal Budget, Mrs Gallus confirmed the Government's
continuing support for a range of initiatives to combat this devastating
trans-national health problem.
She said the $200 million, six-year HIV/AIDS initiative announced in June
2000 was being implemented, and about $38.5 million worth of bilateral and
regional HIV/AIDS activities would be supported in 2002-03.
'A key recommendation of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on HIV/AIDS,
held in Melbourne in October last year, was the establishment of an Asia-Pacific
Leadership Forum,' Mrs Gallus said.
'The forum is being established this year in partnership with the Joint
United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). It will raise the profile and
understanding of the health problem among key decision-makers in the Asia
Pacific and help to strengthen partnerships between countries in meeting the
challenges of the epidemic.'
Funds have also been committed to three major HIV/AIDS projects. These
include an Asia regional program addressing injecting drug use and HIV,
assistance to Pacific Island nations in implementing national HIV/AIDS
strategies, and a second five-year phase of the Indonesia HIV/AIDS and STD
Prevention and Care project.
Mrs Gallus said these activities were a clear demonstration of Australia's
willingness to work in partnership with the region at a very practical level to
combat this devastating epidemic.
Media inquiries:
Craig Bildstien (0407 604437) from Mrs Gallus's office
Jo Elsom (0412 804489) from AusAID