Recife – The world director of the United Nations Joint Program for HIV/AIDS (Unaids), Peter Piot, says that Brazil has one of the world's best programs for the prevention and treatment of AIDS. Piot made his comment at the Brazilian AIDS Congress in Recife, Pernambuco.

Piot said the Brazilian program, which gives AIDS victims free antiretroviral drugs, has been successful in halting the advance of the disease and reducing the deaths it causes. "Brazil is the first developing nation to do this," said Piot. The positive results were obtained thanks to a broad, coordinated involvement of civil society and all levels of government, he added.

According to Piot, Brazil is an emerging nation with great experience in combating AIDS that can be shared with other countries, especially in Africa where the disease continues to expand.

Piot declared that the Brazilian program has shown that community-level involvement is essential if an AIDS program is to be successful. He said it was necessary to go beyond condoms, sexual abstention and monogamy. The answer is investments in education and human rights, breaking the vicioius cycle of poverty, said Piot.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Márcia Wonghon
Translator: Allen Bennett
09/01/2004