UNAIDS pledges to support Thailand to cope with HIV/AIDS

BANGKOK, October 27 (TNA) - The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says it is ready to give all possible support for Thailand to cope with HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé made the pledge on Monday, when he met Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha at Bangkok's Government House. The UNAIDS executive director expressed his confidence that Thailand would successfully solve AIDS-related problems ahead of schedule. The UNAIDS has set three "zero goals by next year, as stated in its strategies for 2011-2015, including zero new HIV infection, zero HIV/AIDS-related death and zero discrimination against HIV/AIDS victim. The UNAIDS executive director also praised the Thai premier for profoundly knowing about HIV/AIDS and playing important roles in solutions to the disease. Prime Minister General Prayut, meanwhile, thanked the UNAIDS for its support for Thailand, stressing that the Thai Kingdom gives full support to provide HIV/AIDS patients of all classes with access to antiviral drugs, including migrant workers. The prime minister said that the Thai government will continue to pay for 90 per cent of solutions to AIDS in the country even though the Global Fund has announced to stop its financial support for Thailand over the next two years. (TNA)