Credit crunch threatens fight against HIV / AIDS

The economic crisis is putting improvements in Aids prevention and treatment in jeopardy, says the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Bank.

Already eight countries are facing shortages of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) or other types of treatment, and HIV prevention programmes for people at high risk of infection are under threat in 34 countries.

On top of worries about external funding for treatment programmes, job losses and falling incomes are making healthcare more difficult to afford, said the UNAIDS report, which looked at 71 countries where 3.4 million people are having treatment.

"This is a wake-up call which shows that many of our gains in HIV prevention and treatment could unravel because of the impact of the economic crisis," said Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS director. "Any interruption or slowing down in funding would be a disaster for the four million people on treatment and the millions more currently being reached by HIV prevention programmes," he told Agence France Presse news agency.

Using figures put together from March 2009, researchers analysed at how the credit crunch could affect the nearly 4 million people living with HIV on treatment, and the 7 million who need treatment but don’t have access to it. The potential effects on prevention activities were also investigated. The findings suggest that the wellbeing of millions of people could now be at risk.

The financial crisis started in the most-developed economies, but its impact has been felt in virtually all nations, leading to fears that donations will stay flat or be cut and developing countries’ cash pools will fall along with pay. And if the international community doesn’t keep its promises to sustain and increase access to antiretroviral treatment, the report says more people will die from Aids, especially those already in the latter stages of the disease.

Currently, nearly 4 million people are on antiretroviral treatment in the countries looked at. But many more would benefit from treatment if it were available. Combination antiretroviral treatment, usually three drugs taken daily, keeps down levels of HIV the blood and stops it damaging the immune system. By taking the drugs as prescribed, people with HIV can stay well. But if there are gaps in taking the drugs, for example because of cutbacks, HIV is no longer suppressed and life-threatening conditions will develop and sufferers are more likely to become drug resistant and pass on the virus, said UNAIDS.

The report also found that 11% of people in the countries investigated (home to 427,000 people on treatment) said the financial crisis had already affected treatment programmes.

The results are worrying, but the report also gives recommendations on how to help to address the crisis such as more efficient use of existing funding, monitoring for treatment interruptions, and planning ahead.

By Hayley Jarvis for SOS Children