AIDS 2010 held in Vienna

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Around 20,000 participants from more than 185 countries have gathered in Vienna, to attend the opening session of the 18th International AIDS Conference, or AIDS 2010.

The conference has called for more effective and decisive action against fighting AIDS.

Thousands involved in the battle against AIDS are in Vienna, to review the progress of the fight against the deadly disease.

In 2001, UN member states adopted the Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs, to tackle poverty, including combating HIV and other diseases.

Julio Montaner, the president of the International AIDS Society and chairman of the AIDS 2010 conference, rebuked politicians for failing to deliver on promises, saying that only a third of the 15 million people who need potentially life-saving AIDS drugs currently get them.

Julio Montaner, Chairman of AIDS 2010, said, "By failing to take full responsibility for the universal access pledge and more importantly for failing to articulate the next steps to meet not just the 6 MDG but also all of them because without universal access there shall be no MDGs by 2015."

Montaner said that when Greece's economy teetered on the brink of collapse, the international community was quick to respond with a cash injection. But he said when it comes to global health, financial support was far from adequate.

Julio Montaner, Chairman of AIDS 2010, said, "410 billion euros appeared from nowhere when the Greek economy faltered earlier this year. But when it comes to universal access we simply are choosing to ignore it. That is not acceptable."

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a video address, stressed the need for universal access to lifesaving drugs, treatment and care.

With the "Rights Here, Right Now" slogan, this year's conference emphasizes the protection of rights for those living with or are the most vulnerable to HIV, to ensure they are protected and given proper treatment.

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