Report includes new information from 40 funders based outside the U.S. and Europe

WASHINGTON D.C., CAPE TOWN, GENEVA, 10 December 2013—A new report by Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA), supported by UNAIDS, showed that 5.4% or US$ 0.5 billion of total international funding available for HIV in low- and middle-income countries was from philanthropic sources. Globally in 2012, US$ 636 million came from private donors. The report, which was launched today at the FCAA 2013 AIDS Philanthropy Summit and the 17th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa, also shows that philanthropic funding has remained essentially flat (a less than 1% increase) since 2011.

This slight growth is largely due to the addition of 40 funders, new to the report, based outside of the U.S. and Western and Central Europe. Excluding funding from these organizations, philanthropy from U.S.- and E.U.-based organizations decreased by US$33 million, or 5% from 2011. Overall total philanthropic funding has remained at roughly the same level since 2007, and continues to be strongly influenced by the world’s largest HIV/AIDS philanthropic donor, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Gates Foundation). Forecasts in both the U.S. and Europe suggest that private AIDS funding is unlikely to increase in 2013.

“We’re thrilled to highlight the work and impact of 40 new potential partners in the philanthropic response to HIV/AIDS,” said John Barnes, Executive Director, FCAA. “However, the inclusion of these new funding sources in the report masks a troubling decline among U.S.- and E.U.-based organizations. A ‘slow and steady’ approach will not bring the needed resources to bear to meet the current challenges of the AIDS response.”

Other Key Findings:

• Funding from U.S.-based philanthropies totaled US$ 467 million in 2012, decreasing 3% from 2011. Seven top funders – including the Gates Foundation (which represented half of total U.S.-based disbursements), experienced significant decreases (US$ 1m-US$ 18mil) due to reported yearly fluctuations in grantmaking cycles and shifts in funding to other health areas.
• Among E.U-based philanthropies, the 2012 total reached $147 million, decreasing 6% from 2011. This continues a now 3-year gradual decline since 2009. While the majority of E.U.-based funders decreased funding between 2011 and 2012, some of this was the result of yearly fluctuations in the grantmaking cycles, or a strategy review process, rather than a shift away from funding for HIV.
• New for 2013, FCAA conducted research to identify HIV philanthropic funders based outside of the U.S. and the Western and Central Europe. Surveys and additional research generated data from 40 funders in 13 countries, totaling approximately $38 million in AIDS philanthropy in 2012. 

“There is a strong sentiment of global solidarity around advancing the AIDS response to reach an AIDS-free generation,” said Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNAIDS. “UNAIDS continues to urge all partners to look for innovative ways of ensuring increased and sustainable sources of funding to allow us to reach everyone in need with lifesaving HIV services.” 

The report was released amidst news that funding for the AIDS response in low- and middle-income countries from donor governments totaled $7.86 billion in 2012, remaining essentially unchanged since 2008. According to UNAIDS the total resources available for HIV reached US$ 18.9 billion in 2012, $3-5 billion short of what is needed to meet the global target of $22-24 billion. UNAIDS’ Investment Framework to guide more efficient use of resources shows that 4.2 million new HIV infections and 1.9 million HIV-related deaths could be averted, and 15 million people could access HIV treatment, if funding is scaled up to US$ 24 billion by 2015.

While philanthropic aid provided to low- and middle-income countries only represents approximately 5% of all international funding for the AIDS response, FCAA and UNAIDS emphasize that, in its independence, philanthropy has a catalytic role to play in the AIDS response. Philanthropic funding is often committed to addressing critical issues through advocacy and to supporting key populations such as men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and sex workers, that are often not covered by other sources of funding.

The FCAA annual resource tracking report, produced with support from UNAIDS, intends to inform stakeholders about the overall distribution and trends of global AIDS philanthropy. The financial data is largely sourced from surveys completed by funders, with supplemental review of grants databases and funders’ grants lists. Data was obtained for close to 300 organizations that are believed to represent the substantial majority of global private HIV/AIDS philanthropy.

Download Global Philanthropic Support to Address HIV/AIDS in 2012 at http://www.fcaaids.org/resourcetracking

New international day for Zero Discrimination announced

Melbourne, 1 December 2013—On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2013, the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Nobel Peace Prize Winner and UNAIDS Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are launching the #zerodiscrimination campaign calling for a global transformation. The initiative will launch the new Zero Discrimination Day on 1 March 2014, adopting the butterfly as the transformative symbol for zero discrimination.

“I believe in a world where everyone can flower and blossom. We can all make a difference by reaching out and letting people lead a life of dignity irrespective of who they are,” said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. “I invite everyone to Open up, Reach out and end discrimination.”

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé announced the Zero Discrimination campaign during a World AIDS Day event in Melbourne, Australia.

“As communities and individuals we must continue to take action to reduce transmission of HIV and ensure that people living with HIV can participate fully in the life of the community, free from stigma and discrimination,” said Australia's Minister for Health, the Hon Peter Dutton.

“We recognize that getting to zero new HIV infections and zero AIDS-related deaths will be impossible without striving towards zero discrimination,” said Mr Sidibé. “On Zero Discrimination Day, we will celebrate the rights of everyone to live a full and productive life with dignity”.  

Discrimination can affect people in many ways in their lives.

For the AIDS response, discrimination towards people living with HIV and key populations at higher risk of HIV is a major obstacle to expanding access to HIV services. Country surveys found that 1 in 7 people living with HIV have reportedly been denied access to healthcare and more than 1 in 10 people living with HIV have been refused employment because of their HIV status.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has taped a public service announcement (PSA) with the message “Open up, Reach out. Together we can reach zero discrimination.” Through the PSA, a campaign web page and social media outreach, the campaign asks people around the world to join the conversation and take action.

The initial phase of the initiative will continue until December 10 – International Human Rights Day and will then build momentum in the month leading up to the new Zero Discrimination Day.

UNICEF report shows that new infections among adolescents could be halved by 2020 with targeted and increased investment

NEW YORK, 29 November 2013 – A new report released today by UNICEF shows great progress has been made to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, with more than 850,000 new childhood infections averted between 2005 and 2012 in low- and middle-income countries.

However, the new 2013 Stocktaking Report on Children and AIDS raises the alarm on adolescents, citing the need for increased global and national efforts to address HIV and AIDS among this vulnerable age group.

AIDS-related deaths amongst adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 increased by 50 per cent between 2005 and 2012, rising from 71,000 to 110,000, in stark contrast to progress made in preventing mother-to-child transmission. There were approximately 2.1 million adolescents living with HIV in 2012.

With additional funding and increased investment in innovation, many of the challenges could be overcome, the report says.

A new analysis featured in the report shows that by increasing investment in high-impact interventions to about US$5.5 billion by 2014, 2 million adolescents, particularly girls, could avoid becoming infected by 2020. Investments in 2010 were US$3.8 billion.

“If high-impact interventions are scaled up using an integrated approach, we can halve the number of new infections among adolescents by 2020,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “It’s a matter of reaching the most vulnerable adolescents with effective programmes – urgently.”

High-impact interventions include condoms, antiretroviral treatment, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, voluntary medical male circumcision, communications for behaviour change, and targeted approaches for at-risk and marginalized populations. This is in addition to investments in other sectors such as education, social protection and welfare, and strengthening health systems.

In contrast to adolescents, progress has been impressive in the area of preventing new HIV infections among infants. Some 260,000 children were newly infected with HIV in 2012, compared to 540,000 in 2005.

“This report reminds us that an AIDS-free generation is one in which all children are born free of HIV and remain so––from birth and throughout their lives––and it means access to treatment for all children living with HIV,” said Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “It also reminds us that women’s health and well-being should be at the centre of the AIDS response. I have no doubt that we will achieve these goals.”

Thanks to new, simplified life-long antiretroviral treatment (known as Option B+), there is a greater opportunity to effectively treat women living with HIV and to prevent the transmission of the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, and through breastfeeding. This treatment involves a daily one-pill regimen.

“These days, even if a pregnant woman is living with HIV, it doesn’t mean her baby must have the same fate, and it doesn’t mean she can’t lead a healthy life,” said Lake.

Some of the most remarkable successes were in high HIV burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa. New infections among infants declined between 2009 and 2012 by 76 per cent in Ghana, 58 per cent in Namibia, 55 per cent in Zimbabwe, 52 per cent in Malawi and Botswana, and 50 per cent in Zambia and Ethiopia.

The new report also emphasizes that for an AIDS-free generation to become a reality, more children living with HIV should receive antiretroviral treatment. Only 34 per cent of children living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries received the treatment they needed in 2012, compared to 64 per cent of adults. As a result, an estimated 210,000 children died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2012.

Innovations and new ways of working are making testing and treatment more accessible, effective and efficient. One example is the use of mobile phones in Zambia and Malawi to quickly deliver HIV test results. This has allowed mothers to receive diagnoses for their babies much faster than through results delivered by hand.

The challenge now is to apply the knowledge that already exists, continue to focus on the most vulnerable and marginalized children and adolescents, and pursue new opportunities and innovations—while using finite resources as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“The world now has the experience and the tools to achieve an AIDS-free generation. Children should be the first to benefit from our successes in defeating HIV, and the last to suffer when we fall short,” said Lake.

The report will be available at www.childrenandaids.org

Attention broadcasters: Video news stories and b-roll from Botswana, Ivory Coast, and Malawi are available at http://weshare.unicef.org/mediaresources

Note for Editors:

• About the simplified life-long antiretroviral treatment (Option B+):

UNICEF is supporting countries as they transition to the new simplified life-long antiretroviral therapy (Option B+) for all pregnant women living with HIV. The new treatment is in the form of one pill, taken once a day (compared to the previous treatment of up to six pills per day).This treatment can be provided at the community level, at local primary care facilities. It keeps mothers healthier, as they continue taking it even after giving birth, through breastfeeding and beyond. Malawi was a pioneer in offering the Option B+ treatment in 2011, resulting in massive expansion of the treatment coverage for both pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV. By June 2013, 13 of the 22 Global Plan priority countries had adopted the same policy of offering life-long treatment.

• About the Stocktaking Reports:

Stocktaking reports on Children and AIDS are the flagship publications of the Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign. UNICEF leads the production of these publications as part of its commitment to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in collaboration with UNAIDS and the other 10 UNAIDS co-sponsors. The new ‘Children and AIDS: Sixth Stocktaking Report’ is the first of its kind since 2010.

About 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 to maximize results for the AIDS response. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do.  Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org Follow us on Twitter and Facebook

For further information, please contact:

Rita Ann Wallace, UNICEF Media New York, tel: + 1 212 326 7586, rwallace@unicef.org
Iman Morooka, UNICEF Strategic Communications, New York, tel: + 1 212 326 7211, imorooka@unicef.org
Sophie Barton-Knott, UNAIDS Geneva, tel: +41 22 791 1697, bartonknotts@unaids.org

Renewed commitment needed in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa and for key populations.

GENEVA, 20 November 2013—Accelerated progress has been reported in most parts of the world. However, there are worrying signs that some regions and countries are not on track to meet global targets and commitments on HIV.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reports that new HIV infections have been on the rise in Eastern Europe and Central Asia by 13% since 2006. The Middle East and North Africa has seen a doubling of new HIV infections since 2001.

In many cases stalled progress is due to inadequate access to essential HIV services. Key populations including men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, transgender people and sex workers are often blocked from accessing life-saving services.

“Every person counts,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “If we are going to keep our pledge of leaving no one behind—we have to make sure HIV services reach everyone in need.”

Investments focused on reaching key populations have not kept pace. Funding for HIV prevention services for men who have sex with men is especially limited in East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and across sub-Saharan Africa. Investments lag in a number of countries where HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs is high. Ten countries in which HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs exceeds 10%, allocate less than 5% of HIV spending to harm reduction programmes. Notwithstanding sex workers’ disproportionate risk of acquiring HIV, prevention programmes for sex workers account for a meagre share of HIV prevention funding globally.

While much work needs to be done in Eastern Europe, for the first time in 2012, Ukraine has reported a decline in the number of newly identified HIV cases, representing a new turning point for the country. There are an estimated 200 000 people living with HIV in Ukraine. At 21.5%, HIV prevalence is highest among people who inject drugs.

However, by working together, the Ukrainian government and civil society organizations are striving to provide essential HIV services to support key populations, using evidence to guide investments and programmes. In 2011, Ukraine also amended its AIDS law which now guarantees harm reduction services for people who inject drugs, confidentiality of HIV status for people living with HIV and removal of HIV-related travel restrictions.

More attention needed for children and adults aged 50 and over

In priority countries, only three in 10 children receive HIV treatment under 2010 WHO treatment guidelines. Children living with HIV continue to experience persistent treatment gaps. In 2012, 647 000 children under 15 years of age were receiving antiretroviral treatment. HIV treatment coverage for children (34% (31-39%)) remained half of coverage for adults 64% (61-69%)) in 2012 under the old guidelines.

“We have seen tremendous political commitment and results to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV—but we are failing the children who become infected,” added Mr Sidibé. “We urgently need better diagnostic tools and child-friendly medicines—irrespective of the market size.”

Although the number of children receiving antiretroviral therapy in 2012 increased by 14% in comparison to 2011, the pace of scale-up was substantially slower than for adults (a 21% increase). The failure to expand access in many settings to early infant diagnosis is an important reason explaining why HIV treatment coverage remains much lower for children than for adults. In three priority countries, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi, coverage of less than 5% was reported for early infant diagnostic services in 2012.

An increasingly significant trend in the global HIV epidemic is the growing number of people aged 50 years and older, who are living with HIV. Worldwide, an estimated 3.6 [3.2–3.9] million people aged 50 years and older are living with HIV. This “aging” of the HIV epidemic is mainly due to three factors: the success of antiretroviral therapy in prolonging the lives of people living with HIV; decreasing HIV incidence among younger adults shifting the disease burden to older ages; and the often-unmeasured, and thus often overlooked, fact that people aged 50 years and older exhibit many of the risk behaviours also found among younger people.

Global AIDS data

New HIV infections among adults and children were estimated at 2.3 million in 2012, a 33% reduction since 2001. New HIV infections among children have been reduced to 260 000 in 2012, a reduction of 52% since 2001. AIDS-related deaths have also dropped by 30% since the peak in 2005 as access to antiretroviral treatment expands.

By the end of 2012, some 9.7 million people in low- and middle-income countries were accessing antiretroviral therapy, an increase of nearly 20% in just one year. In 2011, UN Member States agreed to a 2015 target of reaching 15 million people with HIV treatment. However, as countries scaled up their treatment coverage and as new evidence emerged showing the HIV prevention benefits of antiretroviral therapy, the World Health Organization set new HIV treatment guidelines, expanding the total number of people estimated to be in need of treatment by more than 10 million.

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.

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. 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.

Shifting demographics of the AIDS epidemic demands a new focus to reach people above the age of 50––a population currently underserved by HIV services.

GENEVA, 1 November 2013—The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has released a supplement to the 2013 UNAIDS Report on the global AIDS epidemic focused on the issue HIV and aging.

The supplement reveals that out of the global total of 35.3 million [32.2 million – 38.8 million] people living with HIV, an estimated 3.6 million [3.2 million–3.9 million] are people aged 50 years or older. The majority––2.9 million [2.6 million–3.1 million]—are in low-and middle-income countries where the percentage of adults living with HIV who are 50 years or older is now above 10%. The supplement also reveals that in high-income countries almost one-third of adults living with HIV are 50 years or older.

“People 50 years and above are frequently being missed by HIV services,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director. “This is costing lives. Much more attention needs to be given to their specific needs and to integrating HIV services into other health services which people 50 years and over may already have access to.”

The “aging” of the HIV epidemic is due to three main factors: the success of antiretroviral therapy in prolonging the lives of people living with HIV, decreasing HIV incidence among younger adults––shifting the disease burden to older ages, and that people aged 50 and above are engaging in risk taking behaviour such as unprotected sex and injecting drug use which are leading to new HIV infections.

The supplement highlights that HIV prevention services, including HIV testing, tailored to the needs of people aged 50 and above, are essential and that these services should also reflect the needs of key populations in this age group. The supplement also outlines the importance of timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy as the immune system weakens with age.

The supplement concludes that HIV responses therefore need to adapt to this important demographic trend. It also underlines the need to integrate HIV services for people over the age of 50 with other health screening services available to this age group.

World closing in on Millennium Development Goal 6, globally the AIDS epidemic has been halted and reversed—race is on to reach universal access to HIV treatment.

GENEVA, 23 September 2013—As world leaders prepare to meet at the United Nations General Assembly to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals—a new report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows dramatic acceleration towards reaching 2015 global targets on HIV.  

New HIV infections among adults and children were estimated at 2.3 million in 2012, a 33% reduction since 2001. New HIV infections among children have been reduced to 260 000 in 2012, a reduction of 52% since 2001. AIDS-related deaths have also dropped by 30% since the peak in 2005 as access to antiretroviral treatment expands.

By the end of 2012, some 9.7 million people in low- and middle-income countries were accessing antiretroviral therapy, an increase of nearly 20% in just one year. In 2011, UN Member States agreed to a 2015 target of reaching 15 million people with HIV treatment. However, as countries scaled up their treatment coverage and as new evidence emerged showing the HIV prevention benefits of antiretroviral therapy, the World Health Organization set new HIV treatment guidelines, expanding the total number of people estimated to be in need of treatment by more than 10 million.

“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.

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. 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. 

As well as outlining new global HIV estimates, the 2013 UNAIDS Report on the global AIDS epidemic reviews progress on ten specific targets which were set by United Nations Member States in the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS.

The report finds that progress has been slow in ensuring the respect of human rights, securing access to HIV services for people most at risk of HIV infection, particularly people who use drugs, and in preventing violence against women and girls––a key factor in vulnerability to HIV. Gender inequality, punitive laws and discriminatory actions are continuing to hamper national responses to HIV and concerted efforts are needed to address these persistent obstacles to the scale up of HIV services for people most in need.

The 2013 UNAIDS Report on the global AIDS epidemic is available on line at unaids.org

Donor disbursements in 2012 totalled US$ 7.86 billion

GENEVA/Washington D.C., 23 September 2013––As world leaders prepare to meet to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) evaluates international efforts to finance the response to the AIDS epidemic. The annual funding analysis finds donor governments disbursed US$ 7.86 billion toward the AIDS response in low-and middle-income countries in 2012, essentially unchanged from the US$ 7.63 billion level in 2011 after adjusting for inflation.

Overall, donor government funding for HIV has stayed at about the same level since 2008 - a plateau that followed a period of dramatic growth that saw donor nation support increase more than six-fold between 2002 and 2008. This flattening mirrors a similar trend in development assistance more generally, reflecting the economic and fiscal constraints of the post-financial-crisis period.

The United States government remains the largest donor to HIV efforts, contributing US$5 billion in 2012 towards the AIDS response in low-and middle-income countries and to the Global Fund, up slightly from the US$ 4.5 billion in 2011. The U.S. increase results from a quickened disbursement rate of previously approved funding.

"After years of sharp increases in donor government support which led to significant progress in the fight against the HIV epidemic, funding flattened after the worldwide recession and is likely to remain flat for the immediate future," said Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman.

"We are at a critical moment in the AIDS response," said Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director, Programme, UNAIDS, "Scientific advances and new guidelines are providing opportunities to accelerate action and expand access to lifesaving HIV services. To take full advantage of these opportunities all efforts must be made to ensure the response to HIV is fully funded."

Five donor governments - Australia, Canada, Japan, Sweden, and the U.S. - reported increased total assistance for HIV in 2012, with U.S. assistance increasing by just more than US$ 500 million. Six decreased funding in 2012: Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, the U.K., and the European Commission. Three donor governments - Germany, Italy, and Norway - stayed constant in their support in 2012. The report found that the great majority, US$ 6 billion, of international HIV assistance is provided bilaterally.

The United States accounted for nearly two-thirds (63.9%) of disbursements from donor governments bilaterally and multilaterally. The United Kingdom was the second largest donor (10.2%), followed by France (4.8%), Germany (3.7%), and Japan (2.7%). When viewed as a share of national economies, Denmark provided the highest amount of resources for HIV in 2012, followed by the U.K, Sweden, the U.S., and Ireland.

The new report, produced as a partnership between the Kaiser Family Foundation and UNAIDS, provides the latest data available on donor funding based on data provided by governments.

This report is based on analysis of data of 24 donor government members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's Assistance Committee. It includes their combined bilateral assistance to low- and middle-income countries, and contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as to UNITAID. 

ABUJA, Nigeria, 15 July 2013—A report launched today at the Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria highlights increased, targeted health spending as an essential foundation to greater economic growth and development in Africa. The report, Abuja +12: Shaping the future of health in Africa, published by the African Union (AU) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), reviews progress made since the AU’s 2001 Abuja Declaration—in which leaders pledged to mobilize domestic and international resources for health and remove barriers to the AIDS response—highlights remaining gaps, and prioritizes next steps.

“Africa’s health and our prosperity are inextricably linked.  2001 was a turning point for Africa as African countries committed to take greater responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their citizens,” said Dr Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, AU Commissioner for Social Affairs. “Since then, we have invested greater resources and efforts to address AIDS, TB and malaria which has produced exceptional results. We urge all AU member states to commemorate Abuja+12 with a renewed commitment to prioritize health and achieve their commitments and targets by 2015.”

The new report highlights five main recommendations for a healthier Africa: unifying leadership, generating innovative financing, making smarter investments in health, strengthening human resources and ensuring no one is left behind. Together, these recommendations aim to leverage health as a force for economic growth and social progress across Africa.

The report also highlights recent successes in the HIV, TB and malaria responses in Africa, including substantial reductions in the number of new HIV and TB infections and deaths from malaria. There is now much broader access to antiretroviral and TB medications and use of malaria control strategies such as insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying are becoming more widespread.

“Twelve years ago, African leaders pledged to unite in addressing the health crises which were devastating the continent—and succeeded in making historic progress,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “A renewed and bold commitment here in Abuja is essential as drawing from experiences in the AIDS response, we know that smart investments will save lives, create jobs, reinvigorate communities and further boost economic growth in Africa.”

The report cites a number of approaches pioneered as part of the AIDS response that can help improve returns on health investments. These include using investment frameworks to prioritize spending on the most cost-effective interventions; focusing efforts on people most in need; and reducing front-line health care costs by shifting tasks, where appropriate, from physicians to nurses, community health workers or other health practitioners. On strengthening health governance in Africa, the report notes that the principles that have been fundamental to the success of the AIDS response can be leveraged for the post-2015 agenda to advance coordination, innovation and commitment.

A central element of the 2001 Abuja Declaration was the commitment to allocate at least 15% of public expenditures to health by 2015. Over the last five years, health spending in Africa has risen by about 10% annually. However, spending is still nowhere near where it needs to be—just six AU member states (Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, Togo, and Zambia) have achieved the 15% Abuja target, and an additional US$ 31 billion is required to close the funding gap.

ABUJA, Nigeria /GENEVA, 13 July 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has launched a new framework to accelerate action in reaching 15 million people with antiretroviral treatment by 2015––the goal set by United Nations Member States in 2011. 

The framework, entitled Treatment 2015, offers countries and partners both practical and innovative ways to increase the number of people accessing antiretroviral medicines. These medicines will not only enable people living with HIV to live longer and healthier lives, they will also help prevent new HIV infections.

“Reaching the 2015 target will be a critical milestone,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Countries and partners need to urgently and strategically invest resources and efforts to ensure that everyone has access to HIV prevention and treatment services.” 

Developed in consultation with a range of stakeholders, Treatment 2015 takes into account the new Consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection released last month by the World Health Organization (WHO). The guidelines recommend that people living with HIV start antiretroviral therapy (ART) much earlier.

"The scale up of ART is an unprecedented global success story for public health. Maintaining this momentum will require earlier treatment and innovative ways for enabling more people to take the medicine such as the one-pill daily regimen recommended by the new WHO guidelines," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. "Substantial further scale-up of access to these medicines provides us with a unique opportunity to push this epidemic into irreversible decline."

“Scaling up access to antiretroviral treatment is critical to achieving an AIDS-free generation,” said Ambassador Eric Goosby, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. “PEPFAR is firmly committed to continue working with partner countries and other stakeholders to help make this vision a reality, but we all must share in the responsibility to get there.”

Treatment 2015 emphasizes the importance of HIV testing and counselling as a gateway to expanding access to antiretroviral therapy and that further efforts are required to normalize HIV testing. It highlights that community testing campaigns have proven to be particularly effective in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia.

“We have to work hard to defeat HIV and end it as a public health threat, and it will require concerted effort from all partners to get there,” said Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Treatment 2015 outlines three fundamental pillars essential to reaching the 2015 target; Demand––increasing demand for HIV testing and treatment services; Invest––mobilizing resources and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of spending; and Deliver––ensuring more people have access to antiretroviral therapy.

The report notes that just 30 countries* account for 9 out of 10 people who are eligible for antiretroviral therapy but who do not have access. Treatment 2015 stresses that intensive focus on scaling up HIV services in the 30 countries would have a significant impact on the trajectory of the global AIDS epidemic. The framework also calls for all countries to use the best available data to identify key geographical settings and populations with high HIV prevalence and disproportionate unmet need for antiretroviral therapy.

Treatment 2015 encourages countries to enhance public health programmes and leverage services provided by civil society and community based groups. It outlines that community health workers have the capacity to provide almost 40% of HIV service-related tasks and that HIV testing and treatment services need to be decentralized to promote easier access. The framework also underscores the need to ensure that underserved key populations have equitable access to HIV testing and treatment services.

*Angola, Brazil, China, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russian Federation, South Africa, South Sudan, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, United Republic of Tanzania, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

NAIROBI, Kenya, 1 July 2013—In a joint visit to Kenya, the leaders of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signaled strong partnership to defeat infectious diseases including HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, met with leaders in Kenya’s new government, as well as civil society organizations and other partners.

At a signing ceremony in Nairobi, two new grant agreements demonstrated a commitment to work together with partners. The grants, worth US$ 27 million, will support programmes implemented jointly by the Ministry of Finance of Kenya and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) which that has been working with African communities for more than 50 years.

“In Kenya, and in other countries, the most effective prevention often comes by reaching those most vulnerable to infection,” said Dr. Dybul. “We can be most effective when all partners are moving in the same direction.”

The new grants will support programmes that improve the quality of diagnosis and treatment of TB, reduce diagnostic delays in vulnerable populations and provide nutritional support to TB patients. The grants will also cover TB/HIV co-infected patients and particularly vulnerable populations including prisoners, people living in informal settlements and mobile populations.

“Kenya can have a profound effect on the AIDS response if it continues to lead in a people-centred approach to health,” said Mr. Sidibe. “If all people in Kenya can access essential health services with dignity and without fear—then surely this country can tip the balance of the epidemic in Africa.”

The UNAIDS Country office has spent US$ 420 000 on Global Fund-related work since 2010 with a focus on supporting the governance and oversight of the Kenya Coordinating Mechanism, as well as through technical support to develop future grants and unblock barriers in the flow of funds. UNAIDS’ support helped to ensure the successful agreement between the Government of Kenya and the Global Fund for the implementation of its Round 10 grants of US$ 483 million.

UNAIDS, the Global Fund and the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are working closely to support the Government of Kenya to eliminate new HIV infections among children and keep their mothers alive. Since 2009, Kenya has reduced new HIV infections among children by 44% but still reported 13 000 new infections among children in 2012.

Kenya is ranked 13th among the 22 high-burden TB countries in the world. Since 1990, the absolute number of reported TB cases increased ten-fold in Kenya––from below 50 per 100 000 people in 1990 to 329 per 100 000 people in 2008. The HIV epidemic is the most significant driver of the increase in the TB burden in Kenya.  In 2008, HIV testing among TB patients increased to 83%, with 45% being dually infected.