Some 260 participants gathered in Lusaka for the 19th Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS governing board meeting. The meeting brought together representatives from government, civil society, donors and the United Nations to push for greater UN action to strengthen country efforts against AIDS.

UNAIDS launched the new joint UNAIDS/WHO report, AIDS Epidemic Update 2006, featuring updated global and regional AIDS estimates and new trends in the epidemic’s evolution on 21 November 2006.

Key findings of the report will be presented, including:

- New evidence showing drop in HIV infection rates in several countries and among young people.

- However, global AIDS epidemic continues to grow, with some evidence of resurging epidemics.

- New data suggests where HIV prevention programmes have not been sustained and/or adapted as epidemics have changed—infection rates in some countries are staying the same or going back up.

- HIV prevention and treatment programmes need to be sustained, adapted and focused to reach those most at risk.

Photographs: UNAIDS/A. Sterck

UNAIDS Executive Director was in Germany from 26-28 September to participate in a range of meetings to discuss ways forward and continued commitment to the AIDS response.

UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot visited China from 7 – 12 September to encourage continued leadership and commitment and to mobilize a multi-sectoral response to AIDS. As part of his visit, Dr Piot took part in a three-day mission to the southwestern province of Guizhou, where he saw progress made in trying to prevent the spread of HIV among drug users. Among other sites, the Executive Director visited a drug detoxification centre and a methadone maintenance treatment centre in the county of Zhijin in Guizhou province.

In Beijing from 10-12 September, Dr Piot met with people living with HIV, migrant workers, representatives of the business community, ambassadors of donor countries, NGO and UN staff, Chinese Goodwill Ambassadors and government officials. In addition, the Executive Director addressed the regional meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an event during the World Economic Forum China Business Summit, and launched a campaign for children and AIDS in China. Meetings were also held with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security and the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Dr Piot ended his five day visit to China with a meeting with Ms He Luli, Vice Chair of the National People's Congress.

Credits:
UNAIDS/Li Mingfang
World Economic Forum/Global Health Initiative

Statement by the Secretary-General on his meeting with Pharmaceutical Executives on HIV/AIDS
(http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2147)

UNAIDS Governing body, the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), held its annual meeting 27-28 June 2006 in Geneva. The PCB has representatives of 22 governments from all regions of the world, the ten UNAIDS Cosponsors, and five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including associations of people living with HIV. UNAIDS is the first United Nations programme to include NGOs in its governing body.

More on 18th PCB meeting, June 2006
(http://www.unaids.org/en/AboutUNAIDS/Governance/PCBArchive/20060518-pcb…)

Photographs: UNAIDS/O. O'Hanlon

Following the High Level Meeting on AIDS, UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot paid a visit to the President of the General Assembly and the Co-Chairs of the 2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS to present them with engraved plaques from UNAIDS as a sign of appreciation for their leadership.

2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS: Official website
(http://www.un.org/ga/aidsmeeting2006/)

Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary, United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) visited Malawi to review progress made in the country’s AIDS response. The visit focused on Malawi’s political leadership and commitment in accelerating universal access to HIV prevention, treatment care and support.

Dr. Piot and Sir Chakrabarti met with President Bingu wa Mutharika, government representatives, civil society, and UN and donor agencies to gain insight into national and bi-lateral programmes to address the challenges to scaling up prevention, treatment, care and support.

“We are at a turning point in HIV response in Africa and we are starting to see results. Countries in East Africa are reporting good results due to access to testing and treatment. Malawi is not yet there but all the signs are evident. It takes years for measurable results especially in behavioural change. How men and women relate must change fundamentally to stop putting the whole nation at risk,” Dr. Piot said.

Malawi’s AIDS response has yielded stabilisation of HIV infection rates at an average of 14%. In the last two years, the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment jumped from 4,000 to over 46,000 at the beginning of 2006. However, more resolute interventions in the areas of finance, community empowerment and political drive are necessary to increase effectiveness and reach of HIV prevention, treatment and care.

Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director, visited Monaco to strengthen collaboration between UNAIDS and the Principality of Monaco. He participated in a conference on women and HIV, underlining the importance of accelerating research in new prevention technologies that benefit women. Her Serene Highness Princess Stephanie, co-founder of Fight AIDS Monaco, and two women living with HIV also took part in the meeting