PARIS, July 15: The United States on Tuesday called on other wealthy nations to contribute more to the main fund for tackling the global AIDS pandemic, warning that as much as 800 million more dollars was needed this year alone.

Speaking on the eve of a meeting of partners in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, US Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson said the threatened shortfall “is going to be a serious problem.”

“The United States has contributed the vast amount of dollars so far and I am hopeful that this meeting today and tomorrow is going to encourage a lot more countries to contribute,” he told reporters. The Fund is an independent entity gathering donor and beneficiary countries, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and local communities.—AFP