UN optimistic for poverty disease control

Worsening epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria are notinevitable, and the targets set by the world's leaders at successive summits over the last year for reducing the toll taken by these illnesses remain feasible, according to a new study published by five United Nations agencies.

What is needed is the provision of funds and systems to enable the widespread implementation of actions which have been demonstrated to be effective in 20 different countries, according to the report, which is published jointly by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS, the UN Population Fund and the World Bank.

Success with partnerships, affordable drugs