Governments making "symbolic gestures" on future health

Governments across the world are not following up their commitments to health aid and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to a leading medical scientist.

Gustav Nossal, a consultant to the World Health Organisation, told the Inter Press Service: "Wealthy countries such as the G8 members continue to content themselves with largely symbolic gestures. We have to make sure that the pledge made by governments (on MDGs) is followed."

Mr Nossal was among scientists at the Sir Mark Oliphant Vaccine and Immunotherapy Technology conference in Canberra.

The discussions highlighted how vaccines under development can protect the world against killer diseases such as HIV, TB and bird flu in the future.

"Apart from vaccination there has been significant progress in delivering advanced anti-Aids drugs to more than two million Africans a year", said Mr Nossal.

"However, it should be seven million," he added.

United Nations' (UN) MDGs are eight targets for governments to meet by 2015 to help the needs of the worlds poorest.

The UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon's, statement for MDGs, released upon the conception in 2005, says: "Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline."

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