Renewing Our Commitment to the Global Response to HIV/AIDS

indiaaidsalliance 29 September, 2013

Globally, the incidence of new HIV infections and the number of AIDS-related deaths are decreasing. According to a recent report by UNAIDS, the annual number of deaths fell from 2.3 million in 2005 to 1.6 million last year. In 2001, there were more than half a million new HIV infections in children; in 2012, there were just over a quarter of a million.

Much of this progress is due to significantly expanded access to antiretroviral drugs particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Investment in antiretroviral drugs increased from $3.8 billion in 2002 to $18.9 billion last year. Significant results have also been achieved in reducing the number of deaths among those co-infected with TB and HIV, which have declined by 36% since 2004.

Despite flattening donor funding for HIV, which remains around 2008 levels, domestic spending on HIV has increased, accounting for 53% of global HIV resources in 2012. Nonetheless, the total global resources available for HIV in 2012 were estimated to be roughly US$ 3-5 billion short of the US$ 22-24 billion estimated to be needed annually by 2015.

The UNAIDS report also reviews progress on ten specific targets which were set by United Nations member states in the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. Progress has been slow in protecting human rights, securing access to HIV services for people most at risk of HIV infection, and in preventing violence against women and girls––all key factors in reducing vulnerability to HIV. Gender inequality, punitive laws and discriminatory actions continue 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.

With support from donors like the Global Fund, PEPFAR, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, India HIV/AIDS Alliance in collaboration with hundreds of organisations across the country supports sustained and effective community-based responses to HIV. We focus our efforts on populations most affected by the epidemic, including men who have sex with men, transgenders, hijras, people who inject drugs and sex workers, as well as people living with HIV from all walks of life, including women and children.

Watch for our social media series, ‘The Six Strides’. Over the coming week, we will highlight the progress that we have made with our partners in six of the ten HIV/AIDS targets defined by the UN in the 2011 Political Declaration.