Half of eligible HIV infected people have no access to antiretroviral treatment, Director of UNAIDS Asia and the Pacific Steven Kraus told People’s Daily Online on Sunday. HIV expenditure remains insufficient and international funding is shrinking despite significantly increased in the region.

The following is the excerpt of People’s Daily Online’s written interview with Kraus on this year’s World AIDS Day.

PD Online: What is the most critical challenge in achieving the 10 targets?

Kraus: There are a number of challenges and these are often interlinked. We know that despite important progress, such as a 26 percent reduction in new HIV infections since 2001 and significantly increased domestic financing for AIDS, the epidemic still outpaces the response and half of people eligible for antiretroviral treatment are not accessing it.

There are growing epidemics in some geographical areas and within key populations at higher risk, notably among men who have sex with men, in many countries. Not enough people from key populations at higher risk know their HIV status. This is hampering increased access to treatment.

Domestic financing for HIV has increased considerably in the region but HIV expenditure remains insufficient and international funding is shrinking despite some progress and legislative change in some countries, all countries in the region have laws, policies and practices that drive stigma and discrimination and hamper access to HIV services.

PD Online: In what way to fulfil the vision of getting to zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths introduced by UNAIDS in 2011?

Kraus: A significant milestone towards the eventual realization of this vision is the achievement of the 10 targets and elimination commitments as endorsed in the UN 2011 Political Declaration.

Reaching the internationally-agreed AIDS targets requires

US dollars Strengthening political leadership and national ownership, as well as fully involving people living with HIV and key populations at all stages of the AIDS response;

Enhancing HIV prevention efforts, with particular focus on key populations at highest risk and geographical hotspots within countries;

Speeding up, expanding and sustaining HIV testing and counselling and access to antiretroviral treatment, including community-based HIV testing;

Continuing and increasing efforts to procure affordable medicines, diagnostics and prevention commodities for the region and beyond;

Advancing human rights and gender equality through the removal of laws, policies and practices that fuel stigma and discrimination, violate rights and hamper the AIDS response; and

Increasing and sustaining domestic resources for HIV and ensuring funding is directed to where it will have the greatest impact.

PD Online: Which targets are specifically to be reached by 2015?

Kraus: Efforts and energies of countries across the region are being channelled into striving reach these ambitious targets. In 2013 some countries in the region have already met some of the targets; others report they are on schedule to reach the targets by 2015.

The six targets to be reached by 2015 are:

- Reduce sexual transmission of HIV by 50% by 2015

- Reduce transmission of HIV among people who inject drugs by 50% by 2015

- Eliminate new HIV infections among children by 2015 and substantially reduce AIDS-related maternal deaths

- Reach 15 million people living with HIV with lifesaving antiretroviral treatment by 2015

- Reduce tuberculosis deaths in people living with HIV by 50% by 2015

- Close the global AIDS resource gap by 2015 and reach annual global investment of 22–24 billion US dollars in low- and middle-income countries.

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• China's fight against AIDS gains 'huge progress'

• Full text of interview with Steven Kraus, Director of UNAIDS Asia and the Pacific