Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 20th year that the first HIV-AIDS was recorded. That one case has multiplied into a global pandemic.
A glance at the facts tell us that 95% of the 36 million people with AIDS live in developing countries. The epidemic is more acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where two-thirds of the HIV-AIDS cases are found with 0.1% receiving anti-AIDS treatment.
Drug cocktails have reduced AIDS deaths in the west by 75%. In contrast, AIDS sufferers in poor countries die in six months or less.
High drug prices and trade related aspects of intellectual property rights are making it extremely difficult for the populations of the developing world to have access to affordable HIV medication.
Arresting the HIV-AIDS pandemic cannot be done without strong leadership resolve.
I call on the Government of Canada to take that leadership role and work with like-minded countries to make drug pricing for HIV-AIDS a priority at the upcoming WTO session on TRIPS, the United Nations special session on HIV-AIDS and the upcoming meeting of the G-8. We must do this.