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September 8, 2009

Safeguarding the future of HIV/AIDS initiatives

"Despite all the progress and the messages of success and hope, the past 9 years are also marked by missed opportunities, unfulfilled promises, and worries for the future. By the end of 2005, 1·3 million people were receiving antiretrovirals, a far cry from the 3 million aim of WHO's 3 by 5 programme. And as 2010, the deadline for Universal Access, approaches, this effort looks set to fall short with an estimated 3 million receiving treatment but 7 million still wanting. ...

"The achievements so far have been dependent on unprecedented growth in donations for health. Spending on HIV/AIDS programmes has increased nearly 40 times in the past decade, with US$10 billion being spent worldwide in 2007. Annual requests submitted to the Global Fund leapt from between $500 million and $1 billion up to 2007 to $2·75 billion in 2008, and even larger requests are expected in 2009 for 2010. But in the face of the global economic downturn, the donations to the Global Fund might be left wanting to the tune of $3 billion. To continue to expand prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS, as we must, the global community will need to find innovative solutions that do more with less, are more efficient, build on past advances and experience, and marshall the grass-roots resources of the communities most affected."

Read more in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, September 2009 (free Lancet registration required).

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