Lisbon – The civil associations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases within the Portuguese Speaking Community (CPLP), appealed to their respective governments for major assistance.
 

The appeal came on Tuesday, in Lisbon, Portugal, from a meeting of the PLP-AIDS  Fight Network, expected to produce contributions for the 3rd congress of the community opening on Wednesday.

 
The PLP-Network meeting that will close an hour earlier the start of the Congress, is analysing the institution’s functioning and development, raise new members and outline future actions.
 

The meeting has been going on with two panels. One dealing with prevention and treatment and the other focusing on national and international cooperation.

As to prevention and treatment, the participants concluded that there has been some discrimination, inappropriate access to information, technology and training opportunities, stressing that the basis for the fight against the diseases is human rights.

 
Concerning national cooperation, António Coelho, from Angola’s HIV/AIDS Fight Association (Anaso), said his institution has been getting some government support he however considered as insufficient.

According to him, the NGO associated with the fight against HIV/Aaids have been discussing the need for more support from the civil society as a Government’s partner.

 
He stated that Anaso gets a financial assistance of about one percent of the country’s budget, to run advocacy and implementation of projects designed by civil society’s NGOs and improve the response to HIV/AIDS in Angola.
 

 
The PLP-Network has as its goals to lobby for universal and free access to prevention, treatment, and health care to the HIV-positive and monitor the accomplishment of political commitments on the disease.

It is also tasked with securing the involvement and participation of people living with the Hiv virus and of organisations that provide assistance to those infected.