ELECTORNIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM ON HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

September 2013

Dear Reader,

In a recent report, UNAIDS proudly announces that the world community managed to reduce the number of newly infected children by 52% since 2001 and the number of adults and children combined by 33%. At the end of 2012, 9.7 million people in developing and emerging countries have been treated with anti-retroviral drugs, and should the millennium goal be reached, at least 15 million HIV-infected people are provided with drugs in the near future. As never before in the history of global health the AIDS-movement found ways and means to arouse worldwide solidarity and to make the lifesaving AIDS treatment accessible to a vast number of people.

Such successes deserve to be celebrated! But pay attention! Our work is far from completed. In low- or medium-income countries, as much as only 34% of all those that according WHO-guidelines would need treatment can actually be treated. “We have less than 1000 days to achieve our 2015 global target of reaching 15 million people with HIV treatment. Not only can we reach this goal but must go beyond it to ensure no one is left behind”, warns Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS-executive director. Particularly people in high risk groups – especially drug user – fall by the wayside, states the report. Furthermore, human rights and prevention of violence against women and girls – which is a key factor for the HIV vulnerability – have not been taken seriously enough. Respecting human rights, equality of men and women and prevention of sexual violence are critical enablers that need to be strengthened to realise a future without AIDS.

In the AIDS-affected countries, local communities and organisations have taken on responsibility together with people living with HIV and – as examples show in the new MMS-Bulletin „A future without AIDS“ – have developed and implemented innovative, locally adapted strategies. They fought against stigmatisation and marginalisation, achieved changes in attitudes, made decision makers accountable and thus contributed to drop the number of newly-infected people and to increase the number of those that have received treatment.

Both in the North and in the South, we continue to need major financial investments and the political commitment of governments. The doubling of the Swiss contribution to UNAIDS is a positive step into this direction. aidsfocus.ch is active in trying to get Switzerland to double its contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. We need to continue our commitment at full force to overcome the AIDS epidemic and to see the results of our past investments. With the words of Nelson Mandela: “Just as the water is about to boil, it is foolish to turn off the heat.”

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch Executive Director Medicus Mundi Switzerland

1. years ago, aidsfocus.ch was initiated by members of the Network Medicus Mundi Switzerland who felt the need to share knowledge and experiences and to join forces in the AIDS response. We have come a long way, but AIDS is not over yet. We are convinced that getting to zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero stigma is feasible, if the world community keeps up and renews its commitment. We take the occasion of the 10th jubilee of aidsfocus.ch as an opportunity for looking back and for energizing ourselves for the way forward towards an ADIS-free future. aidsfocus.ch will celebrate the 10th jubilee with a get together with partners and friends. The South African Ambassador Georges Johannes, the National Councillor Yvonne Gilli and Gerhard Siegfried, SDC, will address the participants, and the South African rapper Evaron Orange and friends will set a musical note to the 10th jubilee.

http://aidsfocus.ch

Inputs of the aidsfocus.ch Conference 2013 and contributions by the speakers as a report of the conference are published in the the Bulletin 129 of Medicus Mundi Switzerland. Additional contributions from the network are targeting the “critical enablers” in Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Bangladesh and Cuba. People with disabilities are a so far neglected key population at risk. A behavioral surveillance survey among Sub-Saharan Africa migrants living in Switzerland is introduced.

http://www.medicusmundi.ch

Bern, 4. September 2013 - The Federal Council decided to allocate CHF 30 million to UNAIDS over the next three years (2013-2015), putting Switzerland among the eight largest donors to the UN organisation. UNAIDS works for global action against HIV/AIDS. Its mission is to strengthen and coordinate prevention and healthcare measures targeting people affected by the virus and to reduce the socio-economic impact of the epidemic. Switzerland is currently a member of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board. Within this function, it seeks to place priority on prevention among young people and other high risk groups and on the elimination of mother-child transmission. Furthermore, Switzerland seeks to strengthen cooperation among UNAIDS's other partners (UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO…) and with the Global Fund (GFATM).

http://www.news.admin.ch
http://www.unaids.org

aidsfocus.ch / Basel, 4. September 2013 – Die schweizerische Fachplattform aidsfocus.ch begrüsst den Entscheid des Bundesrats, den Beitrag der Schweiz an Gemeinsame Programm der Vereinten Nationen zu HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) zu verdoppeln. Damit setzt sie ein Zeichen für ihren politischen Willen und ihr Engagement, einen relevanten Beitrag zu leisten um Aids weltweit zu beenden. Der Schweizer Fokus auf Jugendliche und Risikogruppen macht Sinn, sowohl in der Aidsprävention wie in der Behandlung und psychosozialen Unterstützung.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

The new report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows dramatic acceleration towards reaching 2015 global targets on HIV. By the end of 2012, some 9.7 million people in low- and middle-income countries were accessing antiretroviral therapy. But The report also finds that gender inequality, punitive laws and discriminatory actions are continuing to hamper national responses to HIV and concerted efforts are needed to address these persistent obstacles to the scale up of HIV services for people most in need. (23 September 2013)

http://www.unaids.org

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced new results that show significant gains in the treatment of people living with HIV and in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the virus. 5.3 million people living with HIV are receiving antiretroviral therapy under programs supported by the Global Fund, as of 1 July 2013, up from 4.2 million at the end of 2012. The results also show a 21 percent increase in the number of women treated to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, in the first half of 2013. (20 September 2013)

http://www.theglobalfund.org

A new report “Cost of Inaction” makes the case for world leaders to fully replenish the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Officials at the Global Fund have calculated that they require $15 billion USD over the next three years to begin bringing the three big global pandemics under control. If global funding were to flat-line there would be 2.6 million new HIV infections every year, of which 1.3 million could be averted through scale-up. In total 3.9 million HIV infections in 2014-2016 and $47 billion USD of costs throughout the lifetimes of those avoidable people whose infections could have been avoided through scale-up. (12 September 2013)

http://icssupport.org
http://www.aidsfocus.ch

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is changing in unexpected ways in countries around the world, showing that greater attention and financial investment may be needed in places where the disease has not reached epidemic levels, according to a new study. In 2005, 68.7% of global HIV/AIDS burden was in countries where HIV/AIDS is the leading or second leading cause of the burden of disease. In 2010, 59.4% of the burden was in countries where HIV/AIDS ranked first or second, meaning countries where the disease ranked lower represented a larger share of the burden. In 2010, for example, 20% of health loss due to HIV/AID was in countries where HIV/AIDS was not in the top 10 causes of disease burden compared to only 15.5% in 2005. (21 August 2013)

http://www.aidsportal.org

The current discussion paper presents key elements of the concept of UHC as promoted by the World Health Organization and reflects them based on our own ambition of Health for All such as stated in the MMI Network Policy. In the three sections (1) “What is in Universal Health Coverage?”, (2) “Financing UHC”, and (3) “UHC and health equity” of the discussion paper we will directly refer to two helpful “questions and answers” papers recently published by the World Health Organization and add some of our reflections and open questions, hoping to contribute with this to the further discussion within and beyond our Network. (13 August 2013)

http://www.medicusmundi.org

A new report recommends that specific HIV and child protection interventions should be integrated into each other’s responses. The IATT report presents the findings of a global review of children protection systems strengthening and the children and HIV sectors. The findings demonstrate how children living with or affected by HIV are especially vulnerable to issues of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and there is a need for greater practical synergies between these sectors. An integrated approach to tackling HIV is essential to improving health outcomes and reducing vulnerability among people most affected by HIV. (2 September 2013)

http://www.aidsalliance.org

Filmpodium, Zürich | An intricate tale of medicine, monopoly and malice, FIRE IN THE BLOOD tells the story of how Western pharmaceutical companies and governments aggressively blocked access to low-cost AIDS drugs for the countries of Africa and the global south in the years after 1996 - causing ten million or more unnecessary deaths - and the improbable group of people who decided to fight back. Shot on four continents and including contributions from global figures such as Bill Clinton, Desmond Tutu and Joseph Stiglitz, FIRE IN THE BLOOD is the never-before-told true story of the remarkable coalition which came together to stop the Crime of the Century and save millions of lives in the process.

http://zff.com
http://fireintheblood.com

Basel | How can global health policy be structured to ensure that even the poorest people in developing countries have access to health services? That's one of the topics of the ongoing international debate on the new development goals for the period beyond 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO) is advocating universal health coverage (UHC) as a way of making health services affordable and accessible to all. At this year's MMS symposium, we will be discussing how UHC is defined and what form it should take in the light of the new development policy agenda.

http://www.medicusmundi.ch

Bern | The Annual Meeting 2013 of aidsfocus.ch will have a brief formal part with annual report and decision on the theme of the aidsfocus.ch conference 2014. This year, we also celebrate the 10 year jubilee of aidsfocus.ch, the most important Swiss platform on HIV/AIDS and international cooperation. The focus will be on sharing and discussion on issues that concerns all of us, looking back and moving forward. 15.00 – 17.00. The formal Annual Meeting will be followed by the celebration of the 10th jubilee of aidsfocus.ch, with additional guests, music and an apéro riche.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

Bern | Please safe the date!

http://aidsfocus.ch

Partner organisations: AIDS & Child, Caritas Switzerland, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, IAMANEH Switzerland, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, mission21, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss Catholic Women’s League, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (SwissTPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch