01 December 2005

Today, World AIDS Day, the UK Government has announced £27.5m of new funding to go towards the searches for a vaccine for HIV or a microbicide (something to be used during sex to prevent HIV transmission). They have also, as part of the UK presidency of the European Union, led the production and release of a statement from EU Ministers on HIV prevention; a statement which strongly refutes the American approach to promoting abstinence.

ActionAid campaigner Jess Worth met Tony Blair to show him some of the thousands of eye photos that have been sent by supporters as part of our campaign to ensure access to HIV treatments.

Simon Wright ActionAid's HIV campaign team leader, says:

"We strongly welcome the attention the government has given to HIV and AIDS this World AIDS Day and the leadership role they have played.But we are concerned that they chose to focus mainly on prevention this year.

"In the year when the "3 by 5" programme is ending (a programme to get 3m people onto HIV treatments) and the year when the G8 committed to try to achieve universal access to medicines for all who need them by 2010, this is a strange choice.

"Extra money for research into future ways of preventing HIV infections is definitely necessary, but it is disappointing that the government announced nothing to support the 2010 target.

"If the G8 announcement was anything more than empty words, we need action now to make it happen. Criticising the ludicrous approach to HIV prevention that the US is promoting is definitely welcome, but the government needs to show that they understand that prevention and treatment cannot be separated."