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G8 leaders accused of missing “historic opportunity” to tackle prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS in the developing world
By Kel Currah on 14 Jun 2007
A leading global charity has accused the G8 leaders of “tragically failing” in its response to the growing global HIV and AIDS crisis and of offering little more than “cold comfort” to the millions of men, women and children living with the virus.
Though pleased to hear the G8 reaffirming its Gleneagles commitments on HIV and AIDS, and to hear of more money on the table for this global pandemic, it accused the G8 governments of being ‘lukewarm’ in addressing this global threat.
“The G8 leaders have tragically failed those living with HIV and have missed an historic opportunity to stem the tidal wave of this virus that is threatening the developing world,” said World Vision’s HIV and AIDS specialist in Germany, Marwin Meier.
“The eight leading nations failed to provide the funds needed to meet the universal access to treatment targets and did not provide a clear plan for implementing its funding commitments. The rhetoric in the final communiqué is just that, rhetoric. If these governments fail to lay out the details of their strategies for success, then how can they hope to achieve their 2010 and 2015 targets?
“Despite high expectations, those countries with high rates of HIV infection received only cold comfort from the G8 leaders this year.”
World Vision expected the G8 to contribute $16 billion of the $23 billion, which UNAIDS estimates will be needed annually for AIDS by 2010. However, the $60 billion promised by the G8, for an unspecified period, is to be spent not only on AIDS but also TB, malaria and the massive costs of strengthening Africa’s health systems. If the $60 billion is provided over five years it will amount to only $12 billion, far short of the needs of AIDS, let alone strengthening health systems.
One small bright spot in the communiqué was the G8’s inclusion of concrete figures for preventing mother-to-child transmission of the virus and for paediatric treatment. Mr. Meier said: “Of all children born to HIV-positive mothers in developing nations, 34% -- more than one third – develop HIV because their mothers have no access to medicine or information that could have prevented the child’s infection. If the monies pledged were actually delivered in a strategic way, the mother-to-child transmission could be reduced to a percentage similar to the western world’s level of 2%,” said Meier.
The G8 communiqué mentioned that the G8 would this year undertake a review of the progress they have made in fighting AIDS. Meier said: “This review must provide a concrete plan for implementing the G8 pledges - what each G8 government is planning to do each year to step up meet the commitments.
The G8 will meet again in twelve months time in Japan. The G8 leaders will be there again, but many of the world’s children will not be alive to see it unless the G8 work over the next year to meet their targets.”
For more information or an interview with Marwin Meier select the 'contact us' link above.
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