Conference 2010: The future of the global AIDS response: Implications for NGOs

14.04.2010 | Bern

The global economic crisis has induced cutbacks in the spending of Government and international donors. This also threatens efforts for an effective response to HIV and AIDS. In addition, a "backlash" against disease-specific initiatives can be observed in the international arena, with calls for a diversion of foreign aid from HIV and AIDS and toward other health priorities such as reducing maternal and child mortality or strengthening health systems.

HIV and AIDS, with presently 33.4 million people living with HIV remains a serious global problem, reaching beyond the health sector. A united and coordinated effort is needed more than ever.

Implications for NGOs: Challenges and potentials

• What are the implications of these debates on macro level for (Swiss) NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS and international cooperation?

• What are impacts of the decision by international donors to direct more funds to lower income countries and to focus more on strengthening health system programs, thereby extending their focus to include other health issues in addition to HIV and AIDS?

• What does a health system approach towards AIDS mean in practice? How will a health systems approach differ from the approach of the last decade?

• What are the implications for NGOs and prevention, treatment programmes and/or on programmes for psychosocial support?

• What are challenges and potentials of NGOs in aiming at universal access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015?

• What are future steps to be taken by aidsfocus.ch as a platform and its partners, Swiss NGOs involved in HIV and other health work, in order to reach universal access and to realise the MDGs?

Objectives of the conference:

• To deepen the understanding through sharing and analysing information on the current and future situation regarding the global HIV epidemic and the AIDS response in context of global health governance changes and the economic crisis
• To discuss the implication for Swiss NGOs and possible responses

The conference was financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss AIDS Federation (Aidshilfe Schweiz) and World Vision Switzerland.