Bill Clinton wants an AIDS-free generation

Former US President Bill Clinton said that we need to 'scale up' HIV treatment particularly for women and children to cherish the goal of a generation free of AIDS. Speaking at AIDS 2014, he said the world would stamp out AIDS but with 20,000 children still being infected every month, a lot still needed to be done. He also paid tribute to the victims of MH17 in his speech.

'Paediatric treatment continues to lag behind in many countries,' Clinton said. 'We are trying to help countries eliminate mother-to-child transmission and this is one of the most exciting goals in public health and entirely achievable, and essential to achieving an Aids-free generation.'

'We need to scale up treatment and get it to those who need it if an Aids-free generation is to be within our reach.' Part of that effort would include combating stigma and prejudice that prevented those living with HIV from getting tested, accessing treatment and staying on that treatment, he said. 'We need to redouble our efforts to combat stigma and prejudice,' he said. 'Unbelievably, stigma is on the rise in some places.'

A report released at the conference by Open Society Foundations showed how drug users who try to get health info or sterile syringes are harassed. Also, the continual criminalisation of same sex marriages or relationships makes those groups more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Up to half of all new paediatric HIV infections occurred during breastfeeding, he said. 'We need to drastically remove transmission during the breastfeeding period,' he said.

'And we must identify and treat children infected over the past decade. They have fallen through the cracks. We all have a responsibility to ensure they receive the care they need to live the full, rich life they deserve.'

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