By RABECCA CHIPANTA –
HEALTH Minister Joseph Kasonde says zero new HIV/AIDS infections, discrimination and related deaths are attainable before 2030.
Speaking as chair of the 54 member states African group at the United Nations (UN) high level meeting on ending HIV/ AIDS, Dr Kasonde said  Africa was strongly committed to fighting the pandemic.
This is contained in a statement released by press secretary for press and public relations at the (UN) Chibaula Silwamba.
Dr Kasonde said Africa as a continent was convinced that political will at the highest level was key in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He said the rate of new infections had either declined or stabilised in many African countries and AIDS-related deaths were declining as treatment programmes expanded.
“Despite this progress, there is still much more left to be done. About 2.1 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2015, two thirds of whom were in Africa which remains the epicenter of HIV.
“ We note with alarm the sustained vulnerability of young people, especially young women and adolescent girls to HIV infections in Africa,” he said.
Dr Kasonde said the African group applauded the achievement of providing 15 million people living with HIV with Antiretroviral Therapy before last year’s December deadline.
He said the African group recognised that poverty and unemployment exacerbated HIV/AIDS and called for increased resources devoted to HIV and AIDS responses, including the implementation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and Official Development Assistance (ODA) to support national strategies, financing plans and multilateral efforts aimed at combating HIV and AIDS.
“The African group is concerned that until now Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worst affected region, exceptional action is required at all levels to curb the devastating effects of this epidemic,” he said.
Dr Kasonde further said that the AIDS response was failing children and young people in Africa.
“AIDS is now the leading cause of death among adolescents in Africa and the second leading cause among adolescents globally,” he said.
And UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said the world had an opportunity to end AIDS, which had defined public health for a generation.
“The decisions made here, including the commitment to zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination, will provide the springboard for the implementation of an innovative, evidence-informed and socially just agenda that will end the AIDS epidemic by 2030,” he said.