Leadership is fundamental to an effective response.
Last year, the report said, 3.8 million people were infected in sub-Saharan Africa and 2.4 million people died. Annan also stressed in the report the need for more effective prevention strategies and for greater financial commitment from governments and other stakeholders. Some progress in reducing the price of medicines has resulted from the dialogue between the UN system and several research and development based pharmaceutical companies, initiated in May 2000, as well as through the increasing availability of generic versions of antiretroviral drugs. Annan also said that continuing inequalities in access to effective care and treatment should be specifically addressed through all possible means, including tiered pricing, competition between suppliers, regional procurement, licensing agreements and the effective use of the health safeguards in trade agreements. The first round of substantive negotiations for the UN special session set for June take place at the end of this month.