MALI: New action mounted against HIV/AIDS

JOHANNESBURG, 24 November 2003 (PlusNews) - Local leaders in Mali have agreed to set up committees to strengthen existing campaigns against HIV/AIDS.

At a recent workshop attended by government officials, representatives from civil society groups, the media and UN agencies in the capital, Bamako, it was decided that the committees would aim to improve networking among communities and promote HIV/AIDS prevention activities.

According to the resident representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Mali, Jocelline Bazile-Finley, the pace of activities has not been sufficient to ensure that the country could reach Millennium Development Goal 6, which calls for halting and then reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

Bazile-Finley said in a statement: "A fruitful partnership is needed between local elected leaders, civil society, the private sector and grassroots groups to implement an effective multi-sectoral response."

While only two percent of all adults aged 15 to 49 in Mali are living with HIV/AIDS, there is growing concern that unless urgent steps are taken to increase public awareness, the epidemic could rapidly spread.