G8 responds to Aids crisis with a step backwards

A coalition of HIV/AIDS and health organizations responded to the G8 Development and Africa Communiqué released on july 8.  “The G8 must respond to the AIDS crisis with a dramatic increase in additional resources but today they responded with a step backwards,” said Asia Russell of Health GAP, a US NGO campaigning for global AIDS treatment access

An existing commitment from the 2007 G8 Summit to spend $60 billion ‘over the coming years’ on AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and health systems strengthened has been weakened by this G8 meeting into a broad health spending pledge over five years, that is completely inadequate when compared to developing countries’ needs.

Conservative investments of the G8 fair share of funding for AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and health systems strengthening alone are at least $173 billion over 5 years. “The G8 has negotiated countless hours over this pledge—only to commit to a target and timeline that do not require the massive increases in health spending needed now to fight the world’s leading killers,” said Paola Giuliani of the Italian Network Against AIDS.

Additional G8 announcements on  the promise to reach universal access to HIV treatment, prevention and care by 2010
What the G8 agreed: a restatement of the 2005 commitment to reach universal access by 2010. What is needed: “The AIDS crisis in Africa is an emergency, and reaching universal access by 2010 will require a quadrupling of spending over current levels. A restating of existing commitments is not a sufficient response by the G8,” said Masaki Inaba of the Africa Japan Forum. “We call on donors to use the UN High Level Meeting on the MDGs in September to pledge the billions that are needed to keep their universal access promises, in particular through the Global Fund and other effective multilateral mechanisms.”

On the shortage of health care workers
What the G8 agreed to do: “Work towards” reaching the WHO threshold of 2.3 professional health workers per 1,000 people. What is needed: “Year after year the G8 has merely acknowledged the health worker crisis. Solving this crisis will require billions in additional funding—to double the health workforce in Africa and to reach the minimum target of 2.3 professional health workers per 1,000 people. The G8’s vague promise to ‘work towards’ that goal is hollow to millions living with HIV in Africa,” said Emmanuel Trenado of AIDES, a French AIDS NGO.

HIV related travel restrictions
What the G8 agreed to do: Work to ‘review’ HIV travel restrictions ‘with a view to facilitating travel.’ What is needed: “Russia and the USA’s travel ban on people with HIV is a disgrace. Instead of eliminating travel restrictions—a pledge contained in earlier drafts—this G8 commitment provides an excuse for the US and Russia to continue to violate the human rights of HIV positive people,” said Emmanuel Trenado.