Central Asia, Azerbaijan discuss cooperation to fight AIDS

"People suffering from AIDS are subjected to pressure, and it is necessary to improve legislation to protect their rights at the international level," Azerbaijani Parliamentary Deputy Speaker Bahar Muradova said at the Fifth Central Asia-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Conference on HIV/AIDS today.

Muradova said Azerbaijan is one of the few countries with a low prevalence of AIDS. Some 62% of all infected people in Azerbaijan were suffering from drug addiction in 2009.

Kazakh Health Minister Jaksilik Doskaliyev said more efforts are needed to educate people about the disease.

"This will prevent an increase in the number the people suffering from AIDS. Following a two-day conference in Baku, a resolution will be adopted to support the joint work of countries to combat AIDS," he said.

UNAIDS Country Coordinator for the South Caucasus Manoela Grozdanova said $1 billion has been allocated to fight HIV in recent years. Sustainable funding to prevent the spread of the disease is necessary to address the problem, Grozdanova said.


/Trend/