RAP+ is hurt by the growing number of AIDS deaths - 3,000,000 people died in the single year 2001. There is a rush to produce numbers, estimations and declarations. Unfortunately, concrete help and remedy do not follow the publication of these numbers.

Prevention is what everybody seems to insist on, forgetting that we are not at day 0 of the epidemic. We have lost brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, children, friends, and parents. Nevertheless, most of us think they will remain unaffected by the infection, excusing them for not doing anything effective for those already infected with HIV.

Once again, the death cases in the year 2002 will be neglected, among those who die from the UNAIDS estimated 40,000,000 people living with HIV and AIDS by the end of 2001.

Epidemiological data is discussed, without considering that behind the bare numbers, there are human beings, wrecked human lives. 90% of all people infected live in Africa, while 90% of those with access to antiretroviral treatment live in the North.

Sad facts RAP+ is confronted with:

• Insufficient counselling and testing centres offering voluntary and free testing;
• Insufficient infrastructure offering treatment and health care, respecting human dignity and medical deontology;
• The lack of respect of rights and obligations that guarantee improved living conditions for people with HIV/AIDS.

Others sad realities must be added:

• In the light of the discussions around the Global Fund, initially designated to improve treatment access, care and antiretrovirals in developing countries, access to ART is not a priority issue anymore, compared to TB and malaria.
• African participation does not seem to be a priority issue for the World AIDS conference in Barcelona 2002.

Confronted with this situation, which will not contribute to the fight of HIV, but maintain the scourge in decimating human lives and populations to the point of annihilation of human development in Africa, We, Africa's PWHAs, recommend:

• That counselling and testing centres offering voluntary and free testing, including the required equipment, are established throughout the regions and districts of our African countries;
• That social and medical staff and PWHAs are trained to offer quality services;
• That the Global Fund makes its contribution to subsidize ART, distributed for free like the drugs treating TB and leprosy;
• That well equipped laboratories become accessible to guarantee best possible monitoring of PWAs under treatment;
• That the Barcelona Conference reserves important space for Africa;
• That the GIPA concept is introduced and applied in all countries and systems within the United Nations.

We are convinced that with our united efforts, this pandemic can be defeated and the world will become a better and safer place.