Epidemic's economic cost detailed in study

IRELAND: The growing HIV/AIDS epidemic poses a threat to Europe's continued economic growth, according to a new report prepared by the United Nations Development Programme.

Quite aside from the projected loss of life and human suffering, the disease could steal between one and three per cent from overall European income.

The situation was particularly acute in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the disease has infected up to 1.8 million people on the back of a 50-fold increase in infection rates, according to the report, which was discussed yesterday on the closing day of the ministerial meeting on HIV/AIDS organised as part of the Irish EU presidency.

"HIV/AIDS is a growing challenge for the entire continent of Europe, from Dublin to Moscow," according to Mr Kalman Mizsei, regional director for Europe and the CIS of the UNDP.

The report was released last week in Moscow and proposes a range of remedies that could be pursued to counter the economic threat posed by HIV/AIDS. It recommends greater public awareness and information about the disease, de-stigmatisation of those with the disease, the inclusion of the groups most at risk in the decision-making process and in particular strong political leadership, according to Mr Mizsei.

He described the Dublin conference as a "landmark" event given its focus on Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where the epidemic was comparatively new.