Resources and funding

A Coronavirus Innovation Map has been launched by StartupBlink together with the Health Innovation Exchange—a UNAIDS initiative to leverage the potential of innovations to improve the health of all—and the Moscow Agency of Innovations.

The map is a directory of hundreds of innovations and solutions globally that could support and strengthen the response to COVID-19, helping people to adapt to life during the COVID-19 pandemic and to connect innovators so they can collaborate on solutions.

The map provides information on five categories: prevention, diagnosis, treatment, information and life and business adaptation. As part of the prevention category, for example, the directory highlights the Track Virus app, which shows where the virus has spread in Israel, and a test kit to detect COVID-19 developed by E25Bio that will be able to deliver results in half an hour.

The directory also shows ways in which people can get medicines without leaving their home—telehealth and home medicine delivery solutions will be just as relevant for COVID-19 as for the AIDS response.

The information category shows how people can get timely and accurate information about the crisis and innovations, while the life and business adaptation category shows how people can adapt by doing things virtually—in only a short amount of time, schools and universities have switched to e-learning and home offices have replaced onsite offices.

The map is designed to provide information to government officials, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and others to support the response to COVID-19 and address the pandemic and its impact.

“We are facing a challenge like never before and we need to work together to bring the best of ideas to beat the virus. The Coronavirus Innovation Map aims to provide a platform for innovators, every one of us, to collaborate and engage with the response,” said UNAIDS Director of the Office of Innovation, Pradeep Kakkattil.

“You can share ideas on the platform or reach out to innovators through the platform. We have seen a number of existing tools and innovations already being repurposed for COVID-19 with great success and believe that the platform will help bring new solutions faster into the hands of those at the forefront of the response,” added Eli David, CEO of StartupBlink

Over 500 innovations have already been received on the platform and the Health Innovation Exchange will produce a report on shortlisted innovations to be shared with country partners for the COVID-19 response.

There have been big changes in the landscape for funding the AIDS response since 2010. In constant 2016 United States dollars, overall funding in low- and middle-income countries increased from US$ 15 billion in 2010 to US$ 19 billion in 2018.

Within that increase in funding, there have been big changes in the sources of the funding. The amount of money that countries have invested in their own response to HIV has increased hugely, from US$ 7.1 billion to US$ 10.7 billion, equivalent to 56% of all funding. Bilateral aid from the United States of America increased from US$ 3.5 billion in 2010 to US$ 5.1 billion in 2018.

Other sources of funding have either stayed still or decreased, for example all bilateral funding other than that from the United States and all multilateral funding other than from the Global Fund—a worrying trend.

Even more worrying, however, is that UNAIDS estimates that US$ 26.2 billion will be required annually for the AIDS response in 2020—US$ 7 billion more than that available in 2018.

More information can be found on the UNAIDS HIV financial dashboard.

When countries agreed at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS in 2016 to Fast-Track the response to HIV, one of the commitments they made was to scale up investment in the AIDS response. Although countries agreed to invest at least US$ 26 billion per year by the end of 2020, in 2018 total investments were just US$ 19 billion—a shortfall of some US$ 7 billion and a drop of US$ 1 billion from 2017, a worrying downward trend in overall funding for HIV.

However, the case for investing in the AIDS response is strong, and a recent analysis of costs and benefits using the full income approach by Lamontagne et al. (2019) has demonstrated the economic returns of ending the AIDS epidemic. It has been shown that under the Fast-Track approach—whereby a high upfront investment leads to large reductions in new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths—each dollar invested brings up to US$ 6.44 of economic returns in low- and middle-income countries. Even under a more conservative constant-coverage scenario—whereby investment is such that coverage of HIV-related services were kept constant at 2015 levels and new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths don’t fall—the economic return on each dollar is still positive, at US$ 2.55 in low- and middle-income countries.

The analysis shows variations among different world regions, ranging under the Fast-Track approach from US$ 1.05 in eastern Europe and central Asia to US$ 6.58 in Asia and the Pacific, but the central message remains: investing in HIV really does pay off.

The Investment Book, an online tool for UNAIDS donors that capitalizes on the unique value of UNAIDS, has been launched. Highlighting the opportunities that are available for partnership and donor investment, the Investment Book shows the impact of investment opportunities at the global, regional and country levels.

The Investment Book is filled with opportunities to support and partner with the Joint Programme in a variety of ways. Whether learning more about how the Joint Programme functions and partners at the country level, or learning more about opportunities to join forces around human rights or violence against women, each proposal tells an important part of the story of what it will take to end AIDS.

AIDS is unfinished business, and an investment in the Joint Programme is an investment in a future when AIDS is no longer a public health threat. As Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, said, “The global response to HIV and the Joint Programme provide one of the strongest examples of the value of multilateralism and global solidarity.” Be part of making AIDS history. Partner with UNAIDS.

This piece was first published in Global Cause, a Mediaplanet website that publishes information and personal insight stories reflecting the health, wealth and well-being of our world

For young women and girls, for marginalised, vulnerable groups of people such as gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, people who use drugs, prisoners and migrants, the pathway to health is not always as clear-cut as it should be.

Stigma and discrimination, repressive laws, ignorance and even hate, can all prevent vulnerable people from accessing life-saving prevention, treatment and care.

Communities are fighting for HIV services

This is where communities often step in. Communities of people living with HIV, of marginalised and vulnerable groups, of women and of young people, lead and sustain the delivery of peer-to-peer HIV services. They also defend human rights and advocate for access to essential services. They fight every day to keep people at the centre of decision-making and implementation and help to make sure that no one is left behind.

Women and girls are the backbone of care support in their families and communities, providing unpaid and often undervalued work in caring for children, the sick, the elderly and the disabled. They often underpin fragile social support systems. The involvement and leadership of women is vital in the response to HIV and we must support them to leverage their potential.

Community-based services often support fragile public health systems by filling critical gaps; they are led by, or connect, women and other marginalised populations; they provide services that complement clinic-based care and they extend the reach of healthcare to groups that would otherwise fall through the gaps.

Reduced funding is a barrier to HIV

At a time when reduced funding is putting the sustainability of HIV services in jeopardy, community activism remains critical. Indeed, a greater mobilisation of communities is urgently required and barriers that prevent them delivering services and seeking funds must be dismantled. Communities must have the space and power to voice their demands and write their own solutions.

In 2016, world leaders signed the United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, which recognised the essential role that communities play in advocacy, participation in the coordination of AIDS responses and service delivery. Moreover, they recognised that community responses to HIV must be scaled up and committed to at least 30% of services being community-led by 2030.

Most countries are nowhere near reaching that commitment and where investment in communities is most lacking, there is often weaker progress against HIV and other health challenges.

Communities stand ready to play their part in building healthier and more resilient societies, but they need our support. On World AIDS Day, let’s celebrate communities, recognise the essential role they play in the response to HIV, and commit to meeting the promises made to them.

Ahead of the opening of the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, and Peter Eriksson, the Minister for International Development Cooperation of Sweden, co-hosted a ministerial breakfast meeting with key donors and partners to highlight the need for a strong UNAIDS to lead the global response to HIV.

It was Ms Byanyima’s first face-to-face meeting with some of UNAIDS’ key donors and partners in her capacity as the Executive Director of UNAIDS, during which she pledged to take a feminist approach in taking the organization forward.

“UNAIDS is at a critical juncture as it emerges from the challenges of the past two to three years, and the staff will be my first priority; we need healing, trust-building and closure. I want to bring back the joy in the great work of UNAIDS,” said Ms Byanyima.

Katherine Zappone, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs of Ireland, Christopher MacLennan, Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Global Issues and Development, and other heads of delegations applauded UNAIDS’ intention to make meaningful culture change happen at UNAIDS.

“UNAIDS has been at the frontline of the AIDS response for years. Canada has been a strong supporter and we are so pleased that Winnie has joined,” said Mr MacLennan.

Ministers and representatives of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland encouraged UNAIDS to continue its leading role in promoting community-led solutions and responses. They also highlighted the need to leverage the unique capacity of UNAIDS and build on its human rights expertise to address the social and political barriers that are hindering progress on HIV.

“We must integrate sexual and reproductive health and rights better into the HIV response in order to reach our targets,” said Mr Eriksson. “The Joint Programme has a very important role in driving sexual and reproductive health.”

The meeting was also attended by representatives of several UNAIDS Cosponsors―the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). “UNDP is committed to working with UNAIDS in supporting governments to establish enabling legal, policy and regulatory environs for effective and rights-based HIV responses,” said Achim Steiner, the Administrator of UNDP.

UNAIDS, donors and partners agreed on the need to forge partnerships with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to ensure a sustainable response to HIV.

The meeting was the first in a series of events planned as part of UNAIDS’ enhanced collective engagement and strengthened collaboration as it embarks on the process of developing a new strategic plan on HIV.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has raised US$ 14 billion for the three diseases for a three-year period (2020–2022)

GENEVA, 11 October 2019—UNAIDS is hugely encouraged by the firm commitment that donors have shown to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). At its Sixth Replenishment Conference, held in Lyon, France, on 9 and 10 October 2019, the Global Fund raised US$ 14.02 billion, the highest amount ever for the partnership, which is working to end the three diseases.

“I truly commend all countries and partners that have stepped up to the mark and committed to investing in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i. “These investments are a critical lifeline for millions of people around the world. Going forward, putting people at the centre will be critical for making the money work most effectively.”

UNAIDS congratulates the President of France, Emanuel Macron, for his personal engagement and his call on countries to increase their pledges to honour the proposed 15% increase above the last replenishment. Most donors matched or surpassed the 15% increase and many new donors attended and pledged for the first time.

UNAIDS will continue to work closely with the Global Fund providing strategic information, technical expertise and capacity-building to countries in sourcing and implementing Global Fund grants. UNAIDS advocates for a people-centred, human rights-based approach to ending AIDS and fully supports the active engagement of civil society and community-based organizations in reaching the most marginalized people and people being left behind. In 2018, there were 37.9 million people living with HIV, 15 million of whom are still in urgent need of access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy.

The pledges to the Global Fund will boost the response to HIV. UNAIDS will continue to advocate for increased investment to meet the full resource needs of the AIDS response to end AIDS by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

This week, the United Nations General Assembly committed itself to achieving universal health coverage by 2030. It also pledged to accelerate efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including ending AIDS, by 2030. Those commitments show that there is political will to respond to the gravest crises facing the world.

In 2016, the General Assembly agreed, in the Political Declaration on Ending AIDS, to a steady scale-up of investment in the AIDS responses in low- and middle-income countries, increasing to at least US$ 26 billion by 2020. At the end of 2018, however, only US$ 19 billion (in constant 2016 US dollars) was available. And, worse, that US$ 19 billion was almost US$ 1 billion less than a year before.

Instead of a steady increase, global financing for HIV is decreasing. The political commitment is simply not being matched with the financing required to turn the vision of an end to AIDS into reality. With a little more than a year to go until the 2020 target of US$ 26 billion, finance for the AIDS response falls short by US$ 7 billion. This shortfall is particularly alarming because we know that investments in the AIDS response save lives―investing in the AIDS response is a great investment.

“The world can’t afford to backslide on investment in the AIDS response,” said Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS Executive Director, a.i. “Countries must honour their pledge to steadily increase their investment in the response to HIV if the world is to meet its obligations to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.”

Funding declines were seen in all sectors in 2018: domestic resources (a 2% decline), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) (a 20% decline, explained by fluctuations in its three-year grant cycle), other multilateral channels (a 2% decline), the Government of the United States of America’s bilateral programmes (a 3% decline), the bilateral programmes of other donor countries (a 17% decline), philanthropic organizations (an 18% decline) and other international sources (a 4% decline).

Low- and middle-income countries are increasingly financing their AIDS responses themselves. Between 2010 and 2018, domestic resources invested by low- and middle-income countries in their AIDS responses increased by 50%, while international investments increased by just 4%.

Domestic financing in 2018 in low- and middle-income countries accounted for 56% of total financial resources, although there were wide variations among regions. In eastern and southern Africa, the region with the highest HIV burden, 59% of HIV resources came from donors in 2018―this rises to 80% if South Africa is taken out of the analysis. Between 2010 and 2018, all major donors except the United States reduced their bilateral direct contributions to the AIDS responses of other countries.

This October is a critically important time for finance and HIV. In Lyon, France, on 10 October, governments and other partners will meet for the Global Fund’s sixth replenishment pledging conference. Seeking to raise at least US$ 14 billion for the response against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria for 2020–2022, the Global Fund estimates that 16 million lives will be saved by its programmes if fully funded, building on the 27 million lives saved since its inception in 2002.

“I urge countries to fully fund the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in its upcoming replenishment―16 million men, women and children are counting on it,” said Ms Carlsson.