BEIJING, Aug. 6 -- The 17th International AIDS Conference has opened in Mexico City. About 25 thousand scientists, policymakers, and physicians are in attendance, searching for better ways to curb the spread of the epidemic.

    This is the first time the biennial conference has been held in Latin America.

    A chief discussion theme during the conference will be how to tackle drivers of HIV risk and vulnerability, and how to strengthen health systems in poor countries.

    The conference will offer 6 region-specific sessions. Each session will feature a range of experts who will help illustrate key issues facing that particular region.

    UN chief Ban Ki-moon says most countries still have a long way to go to meet the goals set at the last conference 2 years ago. That conference emphasized the need for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010.

    Ban Ki-moon repeated that the war against AIDS is not over

    He said, "We are still facing a huge shuffle in resources. The responses to HIV and AIDS require long term and sustained financing."

    The director of the UN's Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS emphasized the urgent need to increase worldwide efforts.

    Pierre Piot, the director of UN Joint programe on HIV/AIDS said,

    "We must categorically reject any attempts to so-called normalize AIDS or treat the epidemic as just one of many medical problems. Now more than ever do we need an exceptional response. It should be clear by now that there is not too much money going to AIDS, but too little."

    The UN estimates the number of AIDS cases worldwide at 33 million.

    Two million people died from AIDS last year, down from approximately 2.2 million deaths in 2005.

    (Source: CCTV.com)