By US News Agency / Asian

Albay AIDS Council Chairman and Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda delivered his message and Policy Statement & Challenge to the Community the negative impact of HIV/AIDS on Human Development, held at La Roca Veranda Suites & Restaurant, Legazpi City last August 25, 2010.

Salceda said that HIV and AIDS is indicator No. 6 in the Millennium Development Goals wherein the provincial government’s response is to accelerate information, education, control and prevention of the Sexually Transmitted Infection and HIV in the province.

“Our goal is to ensure that Albay is a liveable province, free from diseases, to alleviate poverty, provide education for all and multi sectoral action on climate change adaptation,” the governor told participants of the summit.

According to him, the epidemic is on going and local response must be in placed to combat the spread of HIV.

“The response of the province is a multi sectoral approach that is why all stakeholders as well as our developmental partners are urged to have a unified action in the fight against all related infectious diseases such STI and HIV,” he said.

He urged all sectors to contribute for the national response to achieve the action point. “HIV prevalence rate is low in Bicol specially in Albay, what is important to us is to act now.”