After two days of discussions, seven nations of South Asia and Afghanistan Tuesday adopted the Kathmandu Call Against HIV/AIDS to fight and curb the killer disease before it assumes epidemic proportions.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka adopted: The Kathmandu Call Against HIV/AIDS in South Asia: Accelerating Actions and Results.

They called on the regional countries to strengthen the prevention of the spread of the HIV/AIDS across borders while calling on international agencies to facilitate bilateral and regional cooperation.

They noted the low prevalence of the disease in the region but said: “The epidemic can grow quickly–all countries are at risk. Strong leadership and overcoming stigma and discrimination are key elements for controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS in South Asia.”

The region could overtake sub-Saharan Africa as the worst-affected part of the world if timely measures are not taken, experts warned. The three-page document called for the mobilization and allocation of adequate resources from government, private sector, donors and international agencies, to be used effectively and in a coordinated manner to ensure that the epidemic is halted and reversed at an accelerated pace.

The conference was jointly sponsored by the Nepali government and UN agencies. The participants called for setting up effective national monitoring and reporting mechanisms for timely follow-up, on progress towards the goals and targets committed to by the governments of South Asia.