HIV : the decrease in funding threatens the success of the fight

AV/Pourquoidocteur

Published the 03.08.2017 at 07h57

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IAS 2017VIHfinancementépidémie

The year 2017 could well mark a milestone in the fight against the HIV/aids epidemic. Its completion, planned for 2030, is at hand. To such A point that the leaders speak of a tipping point. Without yielding to complacency.

Because the battle is not yet won. Activists and associations have repeated to the environment, at the annual conference of the International AIDS Society, which was held at the Palais des congrès in Paris from 23 to 26 July. As for the whole period of equilibrium, the course of the pandemic can still shift to one side or the other.

In this bitter struggle, the funding allocated to international coordination play a major role. And decisive for the result. Nevertheless, the main donor countries are showing reluctance for a few years, threatening the success of the battle against HIV.

$ 26 billion needed

This is the two years that the international funding are in decline, reaching 8.1 billion dollars (6.8 billion euros). “They are at their lowest level since 2010,” says Linda-Gail Bekker, president of the IAS. In fact, this amount is largely insufficient to achieve the goal of Unaids : ending the epidemic by 2030, by screening and treated systematically.

Only here, the investments granted to programmes to combat HIV are in retreat, especially in the regions that need it the most. According to the latest report by Unaids, 19 billion dollars were allocated to low-income countries and middle.

The calculation of the program of the UN is simple : to 26 billion dollars are needed by 2020. 7 billion missing each year. This is a direct threat to the achievement of objectives.

Source : Unaids

Europe retreats

The paradox is real. Even as the world is set to win the battle, the major players are retreating – or are thinking about it. “In 2016, the United States were the main contributor to government, alongside the United Kingdom, France, the netherlands and Germany,” emphasizes Gregorio Millett, Vice president and director of public policy at amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research).

But european donors have reduced their allocations. France, in particular, has been the deadlock on 55 million euros promised to the global Fund to fight aids, tuberculosis and malaria for the cycle 2014-2016. She had promised 80 million. “The fact that these countries decrease their intake is outrageous, especially as we know that this money will reduce costs in the long term,” plague Matthew Kavanagh, senior policy advisor at Health GAP.

In addition to the release due to the success of the programs, issues purely financial are at work. “A lot of questions arise around the exchange rate, which reduces the contributions available,” said Pourquoidocteur Morgane Ahmar, in charge of advocacy to the ALCS (Morocco), and the Coalition MORE. In effect, the fluctuation of the currencies may have to amputate the budgets are non-negligible.

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Morgane Ahmar, in charge of advocacy to the ALCS : “It is the face of a disengagement of a lot of countries, especially in europe, that give less. “

Hesitation american

More worrying still, the biggest donor gets to renâcler. In his budget proposal for the year 2018, the american president Donald Trump has suggested a cut that drastic in the financing of the fight against HIV. Contributions to bilateral funds would be reduced by 18 %, those to the global Fund of 16 %. Worst : the action of the emergency programme PEPFAR will be limited to 12 countries.

“Alone, PEPFAR opens access to treatment to 11.5 million people, including 1 million children “, a figure Gregorio Millett. The global Fund has, meanwhile, helped support 10 million people. If the Congress rejected this draft of the budget, it’s a safe bet that the president will return to the charge.

In the Face of this disengagement international, States low and middle income don’t have much choice. “More and more countries will have to ensure the financing without outside assistance, bodes Solange Baptiste, executive Director of the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC). Most countries do not know the actual cost of the programs of fight against HIV. “