WHO warning on AIDS crisis

RICH nations must massively increase the money and expertise they give to poor countries if they are to stand any chance of tackling the HIV/AIDS crisis, the World Health Organisation said yesterday.

The illness is the world's most urgent public health challenge and is now the leading cause of death of adult populations worldwide, the WHO declared in a new study the World Health Report 2004, released yesterday.

HIV/AIDS has killed more than 20 million people and an estimated 34 million-46 million others are living with the disease.