UNICEF ambassador urges countries to help Angola cope with HIV/AIDS

Calling for rich countries to "flex their financial muscles" to help expand HIV/AIDS counselling and testing services across Angola, actress Alyssa Milano today kicked off her first mission as a National Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the capital Luanda, where she was tested for HIV at a local health clinic.

The actress from the United States, star of such hit television shows as "Who's the Boss?," "Melrose Place" and "Charmed," was tested at the Voluntary, Testing and Counselling (VCT) clinic, which she said provided a "great service," but was largely out of reach of for most of the Angolan people.

Along with HIV testing, the clinic was also providing information on behaviour change as well. "But there are just four VCT clinics in Luanda, servicing four million people. We urgently need to join forces to make these services universally accessible. When it comes to HIV/AIDS Angola stands at the crossroads: ignore the threat and numbers will rise; act now and this country can be a success story," she said.

On the first day of her weeklong visit to Angola, Ms. Milano met with young, HIV-positive women, explored a VCT and visited a hospital. Tomorrow she is expected to fly to the war-ravaged central Angolan province of Huambo. There she will meet landmine victims, be taken into a live minefield, view the situation of health and nutrition, visit schools, and officially launch UNICEF's Huambo Youth Centre.