Funding cuts threaten Aids care
2009-11-05 16:00
THE GAINS made in the treatment of HIV/Aids could be under threat
if the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria votes to suspend all
funding proposals for 2010 at its meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, next week.
“After almost a decade of progress in rolling out Aids treatment we
have seen substantial improvements both for patients and public health. But
recent funding cuts mean doctors and nurses are being forced to turn HIV
patients away from clinics as if we were back in the 90s, before treatment was
available,” said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of Medecins Sans
Frontieres’ (MFS) Access to Essential Medicines Campaign.
Today MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, released a report
in Johannesburg on the gains made in the fight against HIV/Aids and the likely
impact of cutting funding for the disease by the Global Fund and the United
States President’s Emergency Plan for Aids relief (PEPFAR).
Both the Global Fund and PEPFAR are significant funders for
HIV/Aids programmes in developing countries. Donor countries that the Global
Fund relies on have reduced their funding while the PEPFAR has indicated that
due to budget cuts it will not increase it’s funding.
“South Africa, which is able to spend more on health than most
African countries, will still require additional funding if the plan to provide
lifelong antiretroviral therapy to every person in need is going to be
realised,” said Dr. Eric Goemaere, medical coordinator of MSF in South Africa
and Lesotho.
According to Goemaere, South Africa has 40% of people on
antiretrovirals and if external funding is cut that would defeat the country’
goal of increasing access for 80% of people who are HIV-positive. The countries
that will be adversely affected include Botswana, Swaziland and Malawi.
According to the report these countries have managed to reduce deaths related to
HIV/Aids through funding from the Global Fund.
The MSF urged the Global Fund, PEPFAR, national governments and the
international community to increase funding for HIV/Aids and continue with their
commitment to universal access to Aids care and treatment.
- City Press