DAS ELEKTRONISCHE BULLETIN DER SCHWEIZERISCHEN FACHPLATTFORM HIV/AIDS UND INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT

Februar 2013

Eine Welt ohne Aids ist möglich. Diese Überzeugung wird von zahlreichen Menschen und Organisationen im Globalen Norden, Osten und Süden und von multilateralen Organisationen wie UNAIDS und dem Global Fund zur Bekämpfung von AIDS, TB und Malaria geteilt. Ein Ende der AIDS-Epidemie ist in Sicht, vor allem dank technologischen Entwicklungen und dem besseren Zugang zu Medikamenten, mit denen HIV-positive Menschen behandelt werden und die eine HIV-Infektion verhindern können. Fortschritte im letzten Jahrzehnt haben die Zahl der Todesfälle reduziert und dazu beigetragen, dass sich die Zahl der Neuinfektionen weitgehend stabilisiert hat. Die Hoffnung ist da, dass künftig weltweit kein Kind mehr HIV positiv geboren wird, so wie es in der Schweiz weitgehend verwirklich ist.

Wir stehen heute an einem historischen Wendepunkt. Dies ist jedoch nicht die Zeit sich auszuruhen. Um auf eine Welt ohne Aids hinzuarbeiten braucht es das unermüdliche Engagement und die Zusammenarbeit aller: Politischer Entscheidungsträger im Globalen Norden, Osten und Süden, multilateraler Organisationen, NGOs Nord, Ost und Süd, lokaler Gemeinschaften und der Menschen, die mit HIV leben.

“Wir brauche beides, Unterstützung der Gemeinschaften und Medizin“, sagt Farai Mahaso aus Simbabwe. „Jetzt wo die Leute antiretrovirale Medikamente nehmen und psychosoziale Unterstützung fürs stetige Dranbleiben erhalten, können sie länger leben und gesund bleiben. Wir brauchen Unterstützung in Bezug auf HIV-Behandlung. In Simbabwe haben wir jetzt eine Abdeckung von 60 Prozent und wir haben noch einem weiten Weg vor uns, bis dass der Zugang für alle gesichert ist. Ich denke, dass es jetzt der falsche Zeitpunkt ist, die Gelder für den Globalen Fonds zu kürzen. Wenn wir jetzt aufhören werft ihr uns in die Zeit zurück als die Leute starben - statt auf eine aidsfreie Generation hinzuarbeiten“. Farai Mahaso ist Direktor der Aids-Unterstützungsorganisation BHASO in Simbabwe, ein Südpartner von fepa (Partner von aidsfocus.ch) und Gast an der aidsfocus.ch Fachtagung vom 11. April 2013. Er wird über sein Engagement mit und für lokale Gemeinschaften und Strategien reden, verbunden mit Advocacy auf nationaler und internationaler Ebene, die Vision einer aidsfreien Generation vor Augen.

Sie sind herzlich zur Fachtagung von aidsfocus.ch zu „A future without AIDS – Approaching a vision“ eingeladen, welche am 11. April 2013 in Bern stattfindet. Zusätzliche Informationen und einen Anmeldetalon finden Sie auf unserer Website http://www.aidsfocus.ch. Ich würde mich freuen, mit Ihnen über Erfahrungen, neue Strategien und Verantwortlichkeiten diskutieren, als Basis eines gemeinsamen Engagement für eine Zukunft ohne AIDS.

Helena Zweifel Koordinatorin aidsfocus.ch Geschäftsführerin Medicus Mundi Schweiz

Bern | A future without AIDS is possible. However, it takes concerted efforts by all to make this vision come true. aidsfocus.ch will together with stakeholders from South and North assess and reflect on what we reached so far and identify and discuss promising and successful initiatives and strategies to face challenges for the future of the AIDS response. A special focus will be on role and priorities of aidsfocus.ch in the joint struggle toward a future without AIDS. Guest speakers: Sanghamitra Iyengar (Samrasksha, Indien), Farai Mahaso (BHASO, Zimbabwe), Jochen Ehmer (SolidarMed), Dr Bernhard Schwartländer (UNAIDS, contacted) and others.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Farai Mahaso from Zimbabwe talks about the fight against HIV and AIDS, and as an advocate asks for support for the Here I Am campaign and to fully fund the Global Fund. The Here I Am campaign videos bring together stories of individuals from all over the world that have been impacted by AIDS, TB and malaria and have seen lives change as a result of the Global Fund’s support. The Here I Am campaign is a global call on world leaders to save millions of lives by supporting a fully funded Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Here I Am brings the voices of people that are directly affected by AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria into dialogue about decisions that affect their lives and lives of millions of others in their countries.

http://www.hereiamcampaign.org

1. January 2013 - The United Nations has launched a broad consultation process for the next global development goals. The original Millennium Development Goals that Member States agreed to in 2000 include a goal focused on the AIDS response. As part of the outreach effort the UN announced an online crowdsourcing platform called My World where people can prioritize issues and share ideas. MY World gives people the option to vote on 16 different issues to prioritize and there is an option to ‘SUGGEST a priority’. Ending AIDS is not part of the 16 voting options. Everyone who feels that AIDS should be one of the top issues can write-in “End AIDS”.

http://www.unaids.org

The UNAIDS strategy aims to advance global progress in achieving country set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals by 2015. The AIDS response is a long term investment and the intent of the strategy is to revolutionize HIV prevention, catalyse the next phase of treatment, care and support, and advance human rights and gender equality. The UNAIDS strategy is a roadmap for the Joint Programme with concrete goals marking milestones on the path to achieving UNAIDS’ vision of “Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.”

http://www.unaids.org

Substantial changes are needed to achieve a more targeted and strategic approach to investment in the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that will yield long-term dividends. We propose a strategic investment framework that is intended to support better management of national and international HIV/AIDS responses than exists with the present system. Our framework incorporates major efficiency gains through community mobilisation, synergies between programme elements, and benefits of the extension of antiretroviral therapy for prevention of HIV transmission. (By Bernhard Schwartländer et al, The Lancet, June 2011)

http://www.thelancet.com

The new framework is based on existing evidence of what works in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It is intended to facilitate more focused and strategic use of scarce resources. Modelling of the framework’s impact shows that its implementation would avert 12.2 million new infections and 7.4 million AIDS-related deaths between 2011 and 2020. Aims of the investment framework are: Maximize the benefits of the HIV response, Support more rational resource allocation based on country epidemiology and context, Encourage countries to prioritize and implement the most effective programmatic activities, Increase efficiency in HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programming. (UNAIDS 2011)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Zürich, 11. Januar 2013 - Die Schweiz verfährt mit HIV-Positiven, die einen Sexualpartner anstecken, besonders streng. Nach internationaler Kritik ändert sie den Strafrechtsartikel, auf den sich die Gerichte abstützen. Wer heute jemanden fahrlässig, vorsätzlich oder sogar böswillig mit dem Aids-Virus ansteckt, wird mit bis zu fünf Jahren Gefängnis bestraft. Künftig steht die Übertragung des Virus nur noch bei «gemeiner Gesinnung» unter Strafe. Das Gesetz hätte Anfang 2013 in Kraft treten sollen. Wegen des Referendums, dessen Frist nächstens abläuft, werden die Stimmberechtigten jetzt voraussichtlich im Juni darüber entscheiden.

http://www.derbund.ch

In some countries, criminal law is being applied to those who transmit or expose others to HIV infection. There are no data indicating that the broad application of criminal law to HIV transmission will achieve either criminal justice or prevent HIV transmission. Rather, such application risks undermining public health and human rights. Because of these concerns, UNAIDS urges governments to limit criminalization to cases of intentional transmission i.e. where a person knows his or her HIV positive status, acts with the intention to transmit HIV, and does in fact transmit it.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Das Bundesamt für Gesundheit organisiert am 24. April 2013 in Biel das Schweizer HIV&STI-Forum; zur sexuellen Gesundheit von Transmenschen. Zur sexuellen Gesundheit von Transmenschen spricht Dr. Prof. Viviane Namaste, Lehrstuhl zu HIV/Aids und Sexueller Gesundheit, Universität Concordia, Montréal, zur den Resultaten des Rapid Assessment zum Risikoverhalten von Transmenschen Dr. Raphael Bize, Chef de clinique IUMSP (CHUV), Universität Lausanne. Workshops zu: 1) Wie werde ich ein besserer Gesundheitsdienstleister für Transmenschen? 2) Trans* und Sexualität: Etappen der Identitätskonstruktion und Risikoverhalten, und 3) Transmenschen und Sexarbeit.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

London, 13 February 2013 - The UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development has today launched the first in its new series of fact sheets – focused on Palliative Care and HIV. This fact sheet sets out to explain what palliative care is, the relationship between HIV, AIDS and palliative care, and information on access to pain drugs as a barrier to effective palliative care provision. Everyone living with HIV would benefit from receiving palliative care, from the time of diagnosis of HIV infection and in conjunction with taking anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). Palliative care is a holistic and comprehensive approach to care and support with the aim of improving quality of life.

http://aidsconsortium.org.uk

Harare, 8 February 2013 - HIV-positive women are living longer, but are now dying of cervical cancer. In Zimbabwe, cervical cancer is now the most common cancer among women, particularly those living with HIV. About 1,900 women are diagnosed with the disease every year in Zimbabwe and 1,300 die. Activists are urging the government to step up efforts to prevent deaths related to the disease, accusing it of paying lip service to the problem. Cervical cancer affects about 30 percent of women in the country and is caused by the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV). Although condoms are said to lower the risk of getting HPV, they do not prevent the risk of acquiring this virus completely. (PlusNews)

http://www.irinnews.org

1. Februar 2013 - Der neue Global-Fund-Geschäftsführer Mark Dybul spricht im Interview mit Die Welt über einen historischen Moment und seine Motivation.: „Im Augenblick haben wir den technologischen Fortschritt, neue Erkenntnisse zur HIV-Prävention und die Erfahrung aus den Erfolgen der vergangenen zehn Jahre, wie man all das in die Praxis umsetzen kann – das hätten wir vor drei Jahren noch nicht behaupten können. Zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte können wir sagen, dass wir die Instrumente haben, um HIV, Tuberkulose und Malaria zu kontrollieren und zu besiegen. Wir können sehr hohe Infektionsraten sehr stark senken. Es ist jetzt unsere Entscheidung…“

http://www.welt.de

1. February 2013 - Domestic spending on HIV/AIDS in some African countries rose by more than 100% between 2006 and 2011. African countries, which contain many of the communities most affected by the AIDS pandemic and receive the bulk of Global Fund money, are adopting innovative methods to finance the fight against the disease in the face of declining resources from the Fund in recent years. Rwanda and Uganda, for example, now charge levies on mobile phone usage. The Government of Zimbabwe charges a sur-tax on all institutional and individual income tax. In Zambia, a hospice is using innovative approaches to provide services to a population of 200,000 people.

http://www.aidspan.org

1. January 2013 - Rather than imposing harsh new controls on recipient countries that might impede health outcomes, the Fund should maintain the core elements of its innovative model and make selective rather than sweeping changes in its operations.” This is the view of two former senior managers in the Fund’s Secretariat, expressed in the Journal of Health Planning and Management. According to a report from the Global Fund (2012), fraud constituted only 0.4% of disbursements in 32 countries that were audited or investigated. “… few will view the Global Fund results as the fiduciary crisis that the media portrayed in early 2011,” the authors conclude.

http://www.aidspan.org

Music has tremendous formative power for individuals and communities, and when inscribed with intelligent and socially relevant lyrics, music can be one of the most empowering and revolutionary arts of humanity. Music is especially important to young people in their developmental years, and susceptible to behavioral shaping from music that they hear in their homes and communities. Young people in their most sexually-active years are also the most susceptible to HIV infection worldwide. The World HIV/AIDS Music Project (WHAM Project) is a global collaborative research effort that aims to present all the music ever written/performed about HIV/AIDS in any language.

http://www.whamproject.org

The report of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) on global health expenditure includes preliminary estimates for health financing in the most recent years. It analysis efforts to monitor the resources made available through development assistance for health (DAH) and government health expenditure (GHE). After reaching a historic high in 2010, overall DAH declined slightly in 2011, with some organizations and governments spending more and others spending less. The research suggests that, despite global macroeconomic stress, the international community continues to respond to the need for health and health system support across the developing world. (2013)

http://www.healthmetricsandevaluation.org

The limited resources available require more emphasis on value for money. This case study report consists of eight case studies. It highlights countries’ progress in making their HIV response more efficient or increasing domestic HIV funding, contributing to sustainability, increased scale-up and country ownership. Cambodia and Myanmar have re-allocated resources towards high-impact interventions. South Africa and Swaziland have saved millions by improving their antiretroviral drug tenders. Kenya, Namibia, Malawi and Kazakhstan have taken active steps for a future with fewer external funds. Other countries may apply these strategies to their particular context. (2013)

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

During 2012, ICASO conducted a study of nine Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria grants. All of the grants selected for the study that were being implemented in the nine countries (Armenia, Belarus, Belize, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, and Zimbabwe) were HIV grants. The study aimed to establish how recent changes at the Global Fund, influenced by the funding crisis and the Global Fund Secretariat’s need to make significant cuts to the fiscal value of renewed grants, had affected the process for renewing and reprogramming grants, particularly in relation to civil society-led programs and those focused on key populations. (Jan 2013)

http://csathubs.org

Aidspan has released the third edition of “The Beginner’s Guide to the Global Fund” that is designed to provide a broad introduction to the Global Fund. It comes in three sizes: the full guide (about 46 pages); an eight-page summary, and a two-page summary. The full guide contains numerous links to the websites of the Global Fund and Aidspan for people who need in-depth information. Chapters in the full guide: Introduction to the Global Fund. Structure of the Global Fund - Global Level - In-Country, Partnerships, Money Raised by the Global Fund, Funds Committed and Spent by the Global Fund, The Global Fund's Application Process, Country Coordinating Mechanisms, etc. (2013)

http://www.aidspan.org

Bridging the Gaps wants to achieve universal access to HIV/STI prevention, treatment, care and support for sex workers, LGBT people and people who use drugs. These key populations are typically 10 to 20 times more likely to become infected by HIV while only 8% have access to HIV services. Together with sex workers Bridging the Gaps works to end stigma and discrimination surrounding sex work and to improve their access to sex worker-friendly health care services. Sex work often is criminalized and surrounded by stigma and discrimination. Empowerment of sex workers and sex worker-friendly services essential in order to improve their lives and health. (2012)

http://www.hivgaps.org

Poverty and gender inequality, in addition to the lack of access to education, increase vulnerability to HIV infection. This is one of the main messages of the Gender Equality, HIV and Education booklet recently produced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The new publication stresses that tackling these issues is crucial to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). As part of a UNESCO series on good policy and practice in HIV and health education, the booklet includes discussion papers that explore the links between gender, HIV and education. (2013)

http://www.unaids.org

Partner von aidsfocus.ch sind: AEMRN, Aids-Hilfe Schweiz, Aids & Kind, Caritas Schweiz, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, Fastenopfer, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, FEPA, Gemeinschaft der St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Schweiz, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international schweiz, mediCuba, missio, mission21, SolidarMed, Schweizer MIVA, Schweizerischer Katholischer Frauenbund, Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz, Schweizerisches Tropen- und Public Health-Institut, Stiftung Terre des hommes, Swiss Aids Care International, TearFund, terre des hommes schweiz und World Vision Schweiz.

http://www.aidsfocus.h