Today is World AIDS Day, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for tolerance and more intensive efforts to help vulnerable people in combating the global epidemic.

On Wednesday, Ban said every child deserves care and every person deserves treatment. He added that all vulnerable groups deserve protection from stigma and abuse. He said hatred and bigotry help spread the disease and impunity toward this problem means many more will die.

The U.N. chief said the world needs to continue its work to reach the goal of getting 30 million people in treatment by 2030.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses an event to mark the World AIDS Day at the UN headquarters in New York, on Nov. 30, 2016. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for tolerance, awareness and helping the vulnerable people in the global efforts to fight the AIDS epidemic. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)