AEGiS-UNAIDS: UNAIDS Predicts 50% Funding Shortfall In Fighting Global AIDS Epidemic Coverage of HIV prevention, care and treatment services still inadequate in developing countries

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UNAIDS Predicts 50% Funding Shortfall In Fighting Global AIDS Epidemic Coverage of HIV prevention, care and treatment services still inadequate in developing countries

UNAIDS Press release - July 12, 2004

Bangkok - Total global spending on AIDS has increased from US$1.2 billion in 2000 to an estimated US$6 billion this year - a five-fold increase - according to a new UNAIDS report released today.

Without dramatic increases, there is still an expected shortfall of US$6 billion in 2005, according to UNAIDS. "Unless more resources are directed toward the global response, the gap between the need and available resources will grow significantly in coming years," said Dr Paul De Lay, Director of Evaluation of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

According to the new report, "Financing the Expanded Response to AIDS", the increased funding comes largely from new donor initiatives, including the US PresidentÆs Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (US$15 billion over five years), and the Global Fund.

Part of the US $6 billion comes from bilateral assistance among leading donor countries for HIV/AIDS, which increased by 64% between 2000 and 2002. In 2004, UNAIDS estimates that bilateral spending will reach US$1.3 billion.

The United States remains the leading bilateral donor in terms of absolute dollars. The United Kingdom, the European Community, and Canada are also expected to play important roles in providing AIDS assistance in 2004 and beyond.

Countries themselves are also spending more domestically. In 2002, domestic spending totalled US$1.5 billion and could rise to rise to US$2.4 billion in 2004. Based on funding trends over the past three years and future funding commitments, UNAIDS projects that annual AIDS spending from all sources is likely to increase to nearly US$10 billion in 2007 - far short of what will be needed.

The increase in spending, however, is not enough to keep pace with the resources needed to effectively fight the AIDS epidemic in the developing world. UNAIDS now estimates that US$12 billion will be needed annually by 2005 and US$20 billion by 2007 to finance a comprehensive response to the epidemic.

The revised estimates on resource needs are based on new data from 78 countries on the actual costs for key services in the areas of prevention, care, treatment, orphan support, policy, advocacy and administration.

In 2001, estimates of resource needs were based on a core package of prevention, care and treatment services. However, the revised estimates take into account additional costs, including safe medical injections, HIV testing services, nutrition for people on antiretroviral treatment, expansion of prevention services targeting migrants, prisoners and people living with HIV, postexposure prophylaxis, and gloves, gowns and masks for health workers - all of which should be standard in resource-poor settings.

"We have learned the hard way - we will not beat this disease without considering the safety and morale of health workers who are on the frontlines," said Dr Catherine Hankins, Chief Scientific Adviser at UNAIDS.

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