Posted 12 October 2010, 06:35 A, by Elly Katabira, IAS President
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve witnessed two key events that will shape global health and the HIV response over the next five years. I’ve closely followed the recent developments and outcomes at the MDG Summit and the 3rd Voluntary Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. For those of us working in the field of HIV the importance of the Global Fund Replenishment could not be overstated. I waited for the outcome of the replenishment meeting with cautious optimism. After almost a decade of increased financial support for the Global HIV/AIDS response, this past year has been marked by funding flat lining. Donor countries have blamed the economic crisis for reductions in development aid, however there are growing concerns that the tide has turned away from AIDS funding and that political will in taking the HIV/AIDS response to the next level has waned. The disappointing outcome of the Global Fund Replenishment Meeting reinforces my concerns. More...
Posted 12 May 2010, 10:36 A, by Elly Katabira, IAS President
On 10 May, 2010,
The New York Times published an article by Donald McNeil Jr. with the startling but accurate title, “
At Front Lines AIDS War is Falling Apart.” This report was reproduced in Uganda’s leading newspaper –
The New Vision – today, 12 May, 2010. The article highlights what we, the health workers at the frontline, had feared all along what might happen if there was any loss of momentum in funding HIV care, particularly in countries with limited resources such as Uganda. McNeil uses Uganda as a case study where patients in urgent need of ARVs to save their lives are being turned away without treatment. I am convinced that similar scenarios are already happening in other countries, particularly across sub-Saharan Africa. If this is not happening yet, then it is just a matter of time. The articles raise one simple question:
Why are we now losing a battle that we had fought so hard… and won? And where are the friends, including the G8 nations, that pledged to support universal access to HIV care in 2005? More...
Posted 04 May 2010, 06:54 A, by Robin Gorna, Former IAS Executive Director
The outcomes of last week’s Global Fund Board meeting brought relief and joy. Many people, fearful that planned discussions about prioritizing and financing for the next round of funding could damage the Global Fund’s collaborative spirit, went into the meeting thinking it could be the toughest yet.
Against a tough back drop of financial uncertainty, the Board’s decision to launch Round 10 on 20 May with an innovative new fund to support programmes for marginalized populations proved to be an important step forward in the Global Fund’s maturation.
As usual, the Board meeting made for an intensely busy week with late-night gatherings proving key to working through the issues at hand. Global Fund Chair, Ethiopian Health Minister Tedros, agreed that IAS could attend the meeting as an Observer. We hope this role will continue, given the importance of the Fund’s work to our membership, who play a central role reviewing applications on the Technical Review Panels, serving on Country Coordinating Mechanisms and delivering programmes supported by the Global Fund.
Setting funding priorities is inherently about choices. In the lead-up to the meeting it looked as though the Board would face tough choices that could pit low- and middle-income countries against one another, knowing that resolution on prioritization was key to deciding whether, when and how 10 would be launched. With a cap? With a waiting list? And who would be first on that list? These questions are most acute now because with the Replenishment process kicking off, no one knows how much money will be in the bank at the start of next year – and the Fund is only allowed to make grants up to the amount of real cash it holds. More...
Posted 15 April 2010, 02:39 A, by Robin Gorna, Former IAS Executive Director
A study published by The Lancet this week brings welcome news of significant reductions in maternal deaths and cites access to HIV antiretroviral therapy as a major contributor to reduced death rates among women. It is among the most compelling evidence to date that HV services do not compete with other health priorities in the developing world, they support them.
 |
| Photo: WHO/UNAIDS/E. Miller |
The study shows once again that access to HIV prevention, treatment and care are essential to a comprehensive approach to improving developing world health because they:
- reduce all-cause mortality
- improve maternal health
- improve child health by preventing and treating HIV disease in children and reducing diarrheal and other diseases through safe breastfeeding
- reduce tuberculosis and other infectious diseases that exploit HIV-weakened immune systems
- support health worker training and strengthen developing world health systems.
Looking at maternal health in 181 countries over a span of almost 30 years, the study offers yet more proof that concerted, evidence-based action to improve the health of vulnerable populations works. More...