Make a difference for HIV sufferers

On World Aids Day (December 1) TEAR Fund NZ is joining with 15 Christian aid agencies around the world in the Integral Alliance, to improve access to anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) for HIV positive sufferers in the developing world.

Although the drugs are free, an estimated 6.7 million people living with HIV are still unable to access these potentially life-saving medicines. Read about how signing The Alive Campaign petition can make a difference…

Gaining access to good quality health services is a major barrier for many when it comes to receiving medicines. It is invariably the most vulnerable in society, including children and old people who are impacted the most when there isn’t a clinic, nurse or doctor nearby to treat those who are living with HIV. Even when there is a local clinic, people living with HIV often have no knowledge that ARVs exist and are free.

Take Sub-Saharan Africa for example, home to more than 11 per cent of the world's population, nearly two-thirds of those living with HIV worldwide, but with only 3 per cent of the world's health workers.
We can make a difference by asking our governments to deliver the resources required to provide comprehensive health services. Otherwise it simply won’t be possible to achieve the goal of universal access to treatment, care and support for those living with HIV by 2010.

Take action now by adding your name to our message to the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. Join Christians around the world calling on him to do all he can to mobilise the resources required to achieve universal access to ARVs for all by 2010.

To sign the petition, find out more or to access resources, including short films for presentations, visit: http://integralalliance.co.uk/hiv/