ANGOLA: Action urged on AIDS prevention

Angola must act now to prevent a rise in HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Saturday.

Dr Lee Jong-Wook, director-general of WHO, said the free movement of people from neighbouring countries at the end of Angola's 27-year-long civil war had created ideal conditions for spreading the virus.

The director-general, who is currently in southern Africa for a meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, said in a statement: "We are seeing, depending on the outcome, the beginning of a much bigger epidemic - or it can be a success story like Uganda. But to make it a success, we really have to take action right now."

He called for strengthened HIV/AIDS education programmes and access to antiretrovirals for HIV-positive expectant mothers.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Children,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]