BELGIUM - US$87b needed to combat HIV/AIDS threat

 BRUSSELS (CMC):

The United Nations-backed Global Fund says it needs an estimated US$87 billion to bring under control the threat posed by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, during the 2014-2016 period, in the Caribbean and globally.

"If we don't seize this moment, we will be dealing with these diseases for generations," said Mark Dybul, executive director of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, on the second of a two-day conference with donors and other partners here.

According to a needs assessment by the Global Fund and partners, the fight against HIV/AIDS alone will cost about US$58 billion in 2014-16, with additional $15 billion for tuberculosis and $14 billion for malaria.

The assessment was drawn up with technical partners at the UN World Health Organization (WHO), UNAIDS, Roll Back Malaria and the Stop TB partnership.

In addition to the needs assessment, delegates at the meeting heard presentations on new advances in science and implementation that can increase the impact of Global Fund investments to support partners fighting the three diseases.

The UN said health officials also showed how a big increase in impact could be achieved in many countries by focusing efforts on hotspots, where disease is most heavily concentrated, and by acting before diseases spread out of control.

Forecasts presented to delegates showed that, with adequate funding, more than 18 million adults eligible for treatment could be on antiretroviral therapy by 2016, up from eight million; that almost six million people could be saved from TB; and that 196,000 more lives could be saved every year from malaria.