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On the occasion of the international conference on AIDS that opened on Monday, July 23 in Amsterdam, many scientists, politicians and badociations denounce the precariousness of funding as the main obstacle to the fight against the epidemic.
Currently, 36.9 million people live with the HIV virus even though the annual death toll has dropped below one million in 2016 (990,000) and 2017 (940,000). On the eve of the opening of the International Conference on this disease, experts in the fight against AIDS warned Sunday (22 July) in Amsterdam that " need billions more what the epidemic is likely to start again more beautiful ",
" We will have problems if we do not have more money " said Mark Dybul, an American researcher and diplomat, during a symposium held before the high mbad of a week of the fight against AIDS, from Monday, July 23 to Friday, July 27.
The worst scenario according to him: that the lack of funding is combined with the risk of a explosion of new infections due to rapid population growth in some hard-hit countries, particularly in Africa. "Mix these two elements and you will end up in a major crisis" he warned, fearing that "the world will lose control of the epidemic" .
reviving the fight against HIV?
A multi-speed report
According to the latest UNAIDS report, new infections related to the AIDS epidemic have decreased by only 18% in the last seven years the world, from 2.2 million in 2010 to 1.8 million in 2017. Although the number of new infections has fallen by almost half compared to 1996 (3.4 million), the decline is not fast enough to reach the target of less than 500,000 by 2020.
Reduction of new infections was highest (-30%) in the region most affected by HIV, East Africa and southern. By contrast, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the annual number of new infections in the epidemic has doubled and increased by more than a quarter in the Middle East and North Africa over the last 20 years. [19659004] Key populations and their badual partners account for 47% of new infections worldwide and 97% for HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. One-third of new infections occur among injecting drug users
RELIRE: International AIDS conference begins amid worry
Fear of lower US endowments
In 2017 € 20.6 billion was spent on AIDS programs in low- and middle-income countries, which themselves account for 56%, according to UNAIDS. But this UN AIDS agency estimates that $ 7 billion a year in funding for this disease is no longer a threat to global public health in 2030.
In this register, the community Researchers and badociations are especially concerned about a drop in US endowments. Since the election of Donald Trump, the United States, the first major contributor to the fight against AIDS, has budget cuts, which have not yet been adopted by Congress.
"To unless we take drastic measures, we will not even be able to approach the goal set for 2030, for the complete eradication of the disease, "said Nduku Kilonzo of the Kenya National Council for AIDS Control. [19659003] "We are very, very far from our goal, not only in terms of eliminating AIDS, but simply prevention" she stressed, pointing out that the funds dedicated to the distribution of condoms had strongly
The Cross (with AFP)
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