(VOVworld) – The UN High-level Meeting on Ending AIDS held in New York last week discussed important measures to wipe out the epidemic throughout the world. These measures are considered a turning point in the global effort to eliminate AIDS by 2030.

In a political declaration, UN members stressed their determination to eliminate AIDS. According to the Declaration, greater efforts will be made over the next 5 years to achieve the 90-90-90 targets by 2020. By that time, 90% of people with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90% of people receiving ARV therapy will  have viral suppression. The global fight against HIV/AIDS has yielded positive results over the last 20 years. Discrimination against HIV carriers has reduced significantly. The number of people reciving ARV therapy has doubled every 3-4 years since 2000 thanks to cheaper and more competitive drugs and new funding resources. ARV therapy is being given to 17 million people at present, helping to save many lives and billions of USD. New HIV infections in children have reduced 56% in 15 years. Armenia, Belarus, Cuba, and Thailand have succeeded in preventing HIV from transmitting from mother to child.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said that with determination the world will be able to wipe out AIDS over the next 5 years. He stressed the important role of leaders of civil society organizations and commitments by member countries, social organizations, NGOs, and the UN Seucirty Council. Ban said HIV prevention should be considered a humanitarian issue and a threat to humanity and every nation. He added now that the world is facing many challenges such as climate change, conflicts, and migration, international funding for HIV prevention will reduce and developing nations will lag behind in the fight against this epidemic. In this case HIV/AIDS will probably break out again and become a global threat.

Although 2 million new HIV infections were reported in 2015 and 22 million HIV carriers have not received ARV therapy, the UN High-level Meeting on Ending AIDS demonstrated a high determination to wipe out the epidemic by 2030.