International funding for HIV fell by 10 percent in 2010 from the previous year. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation and UNAIDS, international assistance for HIV/AIDS in low-and middle-income countries fell from US$7.6 billion in 2009 to $6.9 billion in 2010. This data is shocking because this is the first time funding has dropped in more than a decade of tracking HIV/AIDS spending. Reductions in development may have happed because of currency exchange fluctuations and a slowdown in the pace of disbursements from the US government. US had cut their disbursements from 4.4 billion dollars in 2009 to 3.7 billion dollars in 2010. Despite the cutting disbursements, US is still the largest donor in the world, accounting for an estimated 55 percents of disbursements. This data shows us that international funding for HIV is highly relying upon US; cutting US’s disbursements will affect a lot. It is understandable that US is experiencing economic difficulties in recent years that they had to cut their disbursements; however, we can solve this problem with PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). PEPFAR is an emergency plan, and not intended to last forever. Some people think this is not a time to use an emergency plan, but if we do not take care of the problem right now, it can ended up in a bigger problem in the future that we have to spend much more money than we have to spend right now.
This is definitely a problem. Although it's understandable that there need to be cuts due to a weakened economy, the HIV/AIDS assistance program is definitely NOT one of the areas that should be cut. The HIV epidemic only continues to grow, and if the slower we respond the larger the problem grows. There are many other areas that can be cut (In the US's case, one could argue defense spending can be cut in place of international AIDS assistance). The PEPFAR may help, but the idea that it's OK to downsize the HIV problem is something that has to be fixed itself.
ReplyDeleteIt is certainly troubling news that the amount of international aid has dropped, albeit not altogether too surprising, given the current economic climate. However, as you have stated, there is much to be said for keeping this issue in the forefront of our thoughts. To do otherwise would be to leave us in a potentially vulnerable state in the future. But, of course, the old adage 'easier said than done' springs to mind.
ReplyDeleteThis is an issue, which if not corrected now, will indeed have dire consequences. the current economic crisis in the United States is no doubt involved, but the decline in HIV/AIDS in the US has also undoubtedly contributed to the decline in aid because since the problem has lessened in the United States, it can often mistakenly be taken out of the front line of issues the US has on their agenda, causing dire consequences for the rest of the world.
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