UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- The head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Tuesday that the HIV/AIDS epidemic will not be stopped unless leaders at all levels act now to boost comprehensive prevention efforts targeting groups such as women, injecting drug users and sex workers.

    "What we see today further confirms the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to HIV/AIDS prevention," said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, executive director of the UNFPA, in response to a new report about the continued spread of the deadly disease.

    The new report, released Monday, showed that HIV infection had increased by 5 million in 2005 to more than 40 million globally, despite reductions in some countries. More than 3 million people died of HIV/AIDS in 2005.

    "Universal access to prevention, treatment and care must be theultimate goal. HIV/AIDS will continue to spread so long as women, girls and vulnerable groups are marginalized, disenfranchised and stigmatized."

    Vital to this response, she said, is access to condoms, the integration of HIV prevention with sexual and reproductive health care, and increased attention to the gender inequalities that fuelthe pandemic.

    Obaid said the new report confirmed that in many countries, marriage and women's own fidelity do not guarantee them protectionfrom HIV infection. Condom use was just as import to effect a decline in the rate of sexually transmitted infections.

    "This confirms what we've known for many years now," she said. "While abstinence and fidelity are very important and necessary components of HIV prevention, they must be promoted along with other strategies, including access to both male and female condoms." Enditem