The number of people receiving treatment in poor countries has jumped 75 percent in the past year, U.N. agencies said. ARVs are now getting to 700,000 patients, up from 440,000 six months ago, meeting the World Health Organization's interim target.

But the figure only amounts to 12 percent of the 5.8 million people who officials estimate will die in developing countries if they do not receive medicine within two years.

A further $2 billion is needed in 2005 alone to hit the target of getting medicines to 3 million by the end of the year.

 French President Jacques Chirac has suggested in the light of the new figures, that a global tax be introduced to help fund the fight against AIDS. 

Speaking at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Chirac said the experimental levy, which could be raised on international financial transactions, could generate some M66 billion ($10 billion) a year. 

Chirac said the levy could be imposed on a fraction of all financial transactions without hampering markets, but it could also be raised by taxing fuel for air and sea transport, or by levying $1 on every airline ticket sold in the world.

The money raised would be used not only to make medicines available to far more sufferers but also to finance research into a vaccine and develop prevention campaigns.

27 January 2005