THE ELECTRONIC BULLETIN OF THE SWISS PLATFORM FOR HIV/AIDS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

May 2012

A house is on fire. Forces were joined to extinguish a large part of the fire. Now, would you stop extinguishing and turn off the water tap just because the bigger part of the fire is doused?

Certainly not, you would say. Yet, it was exactly what the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) did last November: it turned off the tap for lack of money and cancelled financing Round 11 (aidsfocus.news reported about that). The decision has devastating impacts on millions of people around the globe living with or affected by HIV or Tuberculosis.

Turning off the tap was one reason why aidsfocus.ch joined forces with Action Against AIDS Germany and other civil society organisations to influence the decision-making processes of the Global Fund. Switzerland shares a seat with Germany and Canada on the Board of the Global Fund; hence it is obvious that civil society organisations of Switzerland, Germany and Canada close ranks for policy-dialog with their representatives and work for a strong Global Fund.

We were relieved when we heard that the Board of the Global Fund, at its meeting of May 10 and 11, 2012, decided to turn on the tap again and keep the funds flowing. By means of a „new and encouraging financial Forecast“, from 2012 to 2014, more than $1,6 billion in available funding will be directed into effective programs that save lives and accelerate implementation of the Board’s ambitious strategy.

But the work is far from done. In future, the Global Fund will need more funds to cover the needs, to be more effective and to involve civil society both in the Board and in policy implementation. This is the only way to reach our long-term goals as reiterated at the World AIDS Day 2011 “Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS Related Deaths”.

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch Executive Director Medicus Mundi Switzerland

Geneva, 11 May 2012 – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria concluded its 26th Meeting today with broad agreement to direct more than $1.6 billion in available funding into effective programs that save lives, accelerating implementation of the Board’s ambitious strategy. Global Fund staff, with guidance from Board committees, will start to put into practice a new continuous method of evaluating and deciding on grant proposals, in consultation with implementing countries, aligned with the Global Fund’s 2012-2016 Strategy of ensuring better targeted investment and maximum effectiveness. The Board agreed to consider new funding opportunities at its next meeting in September, 2012.

http://www.theglobalfund.org

Geneva, 14 May 2012 – aidspan is an independent watchdog of the Global Fund and publisher of Global Fund Observer (GFO), a widely-read, authoritative and free email-based newsletter. GFO provides an independent platform for news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund. Recent issue: The Global Fund Turns the Tap Back On. Main Decisions Made at Board Meeting. Secretariat Re-Organisation Was Hindered by Weak Performance Management System, Jaramillo Says. Global Fund Launches Process to Select New ED. How Grants Will Be Managed in the Restructured Secretariat.

http://www.aidspan.org

Geneva, 10 May 2012 - The Global Fund will uphold its crucial relationship with civil society organisations (CSOs) even after the dismantling of the Civil Society (CS) Team at its Secretariat, the Director of Resource Mobilisation and Donor Relations, Christoph Benn, told GFO in a telephone interview. "Civil society engagement has made the Fund what it is today. We cannot afford to lose this element," Mr Benn said. The Civil Society Action Team (CSAT) for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) warned that the changes "could weaken civil society communication and cooperation with the Secretariat and thereby will hinder the effectiveness, risk management and sustainability of programs supported by the Fund." (Global Fund Observer)

http://www.aidspan.org

The Global Fund ‘55% rule’ which limits funding for middle income countries, despite many being identified by UNAIDS as having a high burden of HIV among people who inject drugs, may inadvertently prevent the Global Fund from investing adequately in countries with the highest disease burdens and greatest need. Poverty in middle income countries is exacerbated by rising income inequality. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2011 income inequality within countries was recognized as one of the most serious challenges facing global development. In order to achieve impact and the new strategy’s targets, the Global Fund Board should therefore revoke the 55% rule.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

In "Losing Ground", Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) identifies and describes the impact of funding shortfalls in critical areas of HIV and TB. This issue brief illustrates findings of a survey of 13 countries where MSF supports HIV and TB treatment projects. It shows some of the critical areas in which the cancellation of Round 11 are already having an impact on the ability of high prevalence countries to implement the latest, most promising strategies to combat their epidemics. Case studies from Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), Uganda, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Myanmar, etc. Countries simply cannot wait two years to access new funds to scale-up and improve lifesaving treatment programs. (2012)

http://www.msfaccess.org

The Alliance report on the Global Fund is warning of an impending HIV/AIDS crisis following its assessment on the impact of the $2 billion shortfall announced by the Global Fund last year. Millions of people will now have to go without HIV services and many may die waiting for treatment as a result of the funding cuts the Global Fund has had to make, according to the Alliance’s report, ‘Don’t Stop Now’. Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director, said: “We are already seeing the impact at the Alliance. In 40 per cent of the countries we work in, partners are faced with cutting critical HIV prevention, treatment and care services. This will affect over 1.5 million people. “

http://www.aidsalliance.org

Michel Kazatchkine, former Executive Director of the Global Fund writes in an open letter;: “As I reflect on my years as head of the Global Fund, five things clearly stand out: 1. The Global Fund has been highly effective in its primary role as a financing institution, 2. Global Fund financing has allowed countries to achieve unprecedented results and impact in the fight against the three diseases, 3. The Global Fund has shown that it is a highly effective mechanism for translating public health and human rights principles into action, 4. Partnerships require a lot of attention and work but are the only way to ensure long-term success and sustainability…”

http://www.michelkazatchkine.com

The documentation of the aidsfocus.ch conference on HIV, AIDS and Advocacy of 17 April 2012 is now online - with photos and videos from the conference. Powerpoint presentations by: Nonkosi Khumalo, Joshua Mavundu, Aashish Masih, Paulina Alex and Eduard Grebe. The papers presented as well as additional papers with different perspectives on the topic will be published in the reader of the conference, the Bulletin of Medicus Mundi Switzerland No. 125 (August 2015).

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

The Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD), together with the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative for children affected by poverty, conflict, HIV and AIDS (REPSSI), and the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD) convened an experts’ meeting on psychosocial needs of vulnerable children on 24 April 2012 in Geneva. The meeting was part of the ongoing Geneva dialogue series hosted by the foundation on global health issues and covered issues including the heterogeneous needs of vulnerable children, current psychosocial projects, and challenges and opportunities to scale up innovative approaches.

http://www.novartisfoundation.org

Geneva, 14 May 2012 - Message from UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé: “In the last year, we have seen greater acceptance of diversity. A new dialogue of openness and tolerance has emerged. Yet in 79 countries, territories and areas, we still have laws that criminalize same-sex relations between consenting adults. These laws are serious barriers to an effective AIDS response and are driving lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people underground where they cannot access life-saving services. To our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender friends, UNAIDS stands with you.”

http://www.unaids.org

Geneva, 30 April 2012 —The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has issued his first report on HIV to the UN General Assembly since the 2011 High Level Meeting on AIDS. In the report, he highlights the urgent need to achieve immediate, tangible results and for the AIDS response to be smarter, more strategic, more efficient, and grounded in human rights. The report, ‘United to End AIDS: Achieving the Targets of the 2011 Political Declaration’, warns that considerable gaps persist in access to HIV services, particularly for people at higher risk of exposure to HIV. Punitive laws, gender inequality, violence against women and other human rights violations continue to undermine national AIDS responses and declines in funding have the potential to jeopardize the capacity to expand access to HIV services and sustain progress over the coming years.

http://www.unaids.org

Nairobi, 25 April 2012 - Kenyan HIV activists say a ruling by the High Court that the definition of "anti-counterfeit" in the 2008 Anti-Counterfeit Act is too broad will save millions of lives and protect the right to life of citizens. The case filed by three people living with HIV in July 2009 argued that sections 2, 32 and 34 of the Act contained ambiguities, which, if misinterpreted or abused, would be detrimental to Kenyans' access to essential generic medicines. High Court Judge Mumbi Ngugi found that the Act failed to clearly distinguish between counterfeit and generic medicines. She called on parliament to review these ambiguities that could result in the arbitrary seizure of generic medicines under the pretext of fighting counterfeit drugs. Like many low- and middle-income countries, more than 80 percent of the drugs used by Kenyans are generic and largely manufactured in India. The judgement also ensures that government agencies cannot interfere with the importatio n and distribution of generic medicines. (PlusNews)

http://www.irinnews.org

1. April 2012 - No South African is untouched by HIV/AIDS. Many are infected with the virus, whether they are aware of their status or not, many have family or friends living with HIV, and many know someone who has died from an AIDS-related disorder. April 1, marked an important milestone in the country's response to tackling not only its HIV crisis but also its tuberculosis epidemic with the start of its new National Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and TB 2012—2016. The plan has several broad goals: to reduce new HIV infections by at least 50%; to start at least 80% of eligible patients on antiretroviral treatment; to reduce the number of new tuberculosis infections and deaths by 50%; to ensure a legal framework that protects and promotes human rights to support implementation of the plan; and to reduce self-reported stigma related to HIV and tuberculosis by at least 50%.

http://www.thelancet.com

Washington DC | AIDS 2012 will bring together leading scientists, public health experts, policy-makers and the HIV-affected community to translate recent momentous scientific advances into action that will address means to end the epidemic, within the current context of significant global economic challenges. The conference theme, “Turning the Tide Together”, reflects a unique moment in time, emphasizing that the HIV epidemic has reached a defining moment. By acting decisively on recent scientific advances in HIV treatment and biomedical prevention, the momentum for a cure, and the continuing evidence of the ability to scale-up key interventions in the most-needed settings, we now have the potential to end the HIV epidemic.

http://www.aids2012.org

Partners: Afro-European Medical and Research Network, AIDS & Child, Caritas Switzerland, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Switzerland, INTERTEAM, Kindernothilfe Schweiz, Kwa Wazee, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, missio, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, Missio, Mission 21, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes schweiz, and World Vision Switzerland.

http://www.aidsfocus.c