Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Targets

1. Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.
2. Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major disease by 2015.

Progress

HIV prevalence has levelled off in the developing world, but deaths from AIDS continue to rise in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV incidence in the Asia Pacific is lower at 0.3% than other regions such as sub-Saharan Africa at 6.2%. However, that still equates to 6 million people.

Malaria-control efforts are paying off, but additional effort is needed. Asia Pacific accounts for around 38% of the global malaria incidence.

Although the rate of tuberculosis infection is slowing globally, the number of new cases is still rising, not declining. Prevalence in Asia Pacific is 524 cases per 100,000.

Business can contribute to MDG 6 by:

• Providing health education
  The education of young people merits the highest priority in a world afflicted by HIV/AIDS, because education is the most effective – and the most cost effective – means of prevention.
• Improving access to medicine
  Improve availability by making medicines affordable.

Primer questions

• Have you implemented a workforce HIV/AIDS programmes focused on education, prevention, treatment and care?
• Have you joined the Asia Pacific Business Coalition on AIDS?
• Can you run campaigns for HIV/AIDS awareness in collaboration with emerging market governments?
• Can you prioritise product development and research around diseases that disproportionately affect poor communities?
• Can you provide affordable reproductive health products?