G8 focuses on fighting avian flu, AIDS

March 22

The G8 summit in St. Petersburg will focus on the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis and avian and human flu.

"The anti-infection program, developed by G8 experts together with the World Health Organization, focuses on the prevention of tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, the flu, avian flu and malaria," Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s chief sanitation doctor, told the news agency Interfax after his meeting with WHO Director General Lee Jong-wook Wednesday.

"I came to Geneva to meet Dr. Lee and discuss some aspects of the agenda for the G8 summit in July related to the prevention of infectious diseases," he said.

The Group of Eight industrialized nations will meet in St. Petersburg in July 2006, with Russia presiding over the summit.