UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé (left) met with Mr Ion Bazac, Minister of Health of Romania, in Bucharest on 12 May 2009.
Credit: UNAIDS/E. Petrescu
During an official visit to Bucharest, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé yesterday met with Mr Ion Bazac, Minister of Health of Romania.
The Executive Director praised Romania’s significant achievement of universal access to HIV treatment for all people living with HIV in need of it.
The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the importance of sustaining Romania’s success in the AIDS response during the current financial and economic crisis.
Mr Sidibé described AIDS as an opportunity to make progress on larger health and development goals through the integration of HIV services with wider health services including treatment of tuberculosis as well as sexual and reproductive health.
Minister Bazac reiterated Romania’s commitment to sustain HIV prevention activities that are currently being supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Minister Bazac also invited UNAIDS to collaborate with the Romania’s new training academy for HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases, which will be launched next month in Bucharest.
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé (left) met with Bogdan Aurescu, Secretary of State of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Credit: UNAIDS/E. Petrescu
In a later meeting with Bogdan Aurescu, Secretary of State of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Michel Sidibé discussed the potential for Romania to take a leadership role on political advocacy for AIDS and human rights, particularly in the European Union. Aurescu, a well-known legal expert and diplomat, expressed Romania's readiness to engage the European Union and the Council of Europe in these areas. The Secretary of State also expressed Romania's high regard for collaboration with UN and his commitment to sustain policy development, advocacy and technical cooperation on HIV through UNAIDS.
