Wednesday 25 September 2013

UNAIDS reports progress in domestic funding for AIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has reported that despite a flattening in donor funding for HIV, which has remained around the same as 2008 levels, domestic spending on HIV has increased, accounting for 53% of global HIV resources in 2012.
According to the report, continued gains were made in mobilizing financial resources for the AIDS response in 2012, although AIDS expenditures remain short of the global target of US$ 22-24 billion in annual financial resources. 
In 2012, an estimated US$ 18.9 billion were available for HIV programmes in low- and middle-income countries – a 10% increase over 2011. 
The total global resources available for HIV in 2012 was estimated at US$ 18.9 billion, US$ 3-5 billion short of the US$ 22-24 billion estimated to be needed annually by 2015. 
Although international HIV assistance remained flat in real terms in 2012, many low- and middle-income countries have increased financial outlays for HIV; domestic spending accounted for 53% of all HIV-related spending in 2012. 
Although increases in domestic investments have occurred among countries at all income levels, local spending has also risen around the world but sharply so among upper middle-income countries, with many lower middle-income and low-income countries remaining heavily dependent on international assistance. 

In 2012, 51 countries looked to international sources for more than 75% of HIV-related spending. Whereas domestic resources account for the majority of spending for treatment and care, international spending financed the majority of prevention efforts. 
In an effort to promote long-term sustainability of national responses, a growing number of countries are exploring innovative financing methods, including dedicated tax levies and AIDS trust funds. 
This report highlights continued progress towards the global vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. The annual number of new HIV infections continues to decline, with especially sharp reductions in the number of children newly infected with HIV. 
More people than ever are now receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy, contributing to steady declines in the number of AIDS-related deaths and further buttressing efforts to prevent new infections. 
“Not only can we meet the 2015 target of 15 million people on HIV treatment—we must also go beyond and have the vision and commitment to ensure no one is left behind,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS.
Significant results have also been achieved towards meeting the needs of tuberculosis (TB) patients living with HIV, as TB-related deaths among people living with HIV have declined by 36% since 2004.
The report was released ahead of the world leaders meeting at the United Nations General Assembly to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Source: Africa Science News

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