Possible interruption of free treatment for HIV/AIDS patients feared

MANILA, Philippines – The Network to Stop AIDS in the Philippines (NSAP) expressed concern over the possible interruption of free treatment for HIV/AIDS patients after the cancellation of financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.

In a statement, NSAP said that such development from Global Fund is an “alarming development for the Philippines” which is among the seven countries that is experiencing “accelerating HIV epidemic” amid the declining global trend.

“A lifeline for thousands of Filipinos who are affected by HIV and AIDS has been cut…the Philippines’ biggest funder of HIV and AIDS programs announced that it decided to cancel its next round of funding,” the group said.

Last month, Global Fund had announced that it had stopped Round 11 of its funding program for HIV/AIDS. The Philippines is under Round 6 that will end in 2012 but it is now preparing to apply for the cancelled program.

The funding from Global Fund is primarily used to provide for free anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV patients. ARV is a concoction of drugs that is meant to slow down or stop the progression of HIV into AIDS.

According to NSAP, the cancellation of Round 11 would gravely impact on the Philippines’ efforts to curb the rising HIV/AIDS cases. Because of this, the group has urged the government to earmark a higher budget for the campaign.

“The immediate implication of this unprecedented cancellation is that half of existing HIV prevention services and 60 percent of life-saving treatment, care and support programs for Filipinos living with HIV and AIDS would have no funding in the coming years,” NSAP added.

The Philippines, along with Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are seen as having an upward trend in HIV/AIDS cases while globally, cases are on the decline.

Records of the United Nations showed that since 1997, the number of new infections worldwide has gone down by more than 20 percent.

In a message during celebration of World AIDS Day last Dec. 1, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that in sub-Saharan Africa, the “region most affected by the AIDS epidemic, HIV incidence has decreased in 22 countries.”

Ban claimed that treatment has averted some 2.5 million AIDS-related deaths since 1985. Around 6.6 million people are now receiving treatment.

“Financing will be critical to success. I urge all concerned to act on the investment framework put forward by UNAIDS and to fully fund the global investment target of up to $24 billion annually. The results would offset the upfront costs in less than one generation,” Ban said. –Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)