AIDS status & challenges of the epidemic

5. What has been done in terms of funding and research?

• 5.1 What has been achieved in terms of HIV/AIDS funding?
• 5.2 What research efforts have been made?

5.1 What has been achieved in terms of HIV/AIDS funding?

The Global target related to HIV/AIDS funding is one of the few targets set for 2005 that has been met and the amount of money available to fight AIDS has increased significantly since 2001. In 2005, US$ 8.3 billion were spent to tackle AIDS in low- and middle-income countries.

The 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS resulted in the launch, in December 2002, of the “Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria” which has so far approved 350 grants to 128 countries, and distributes 20% of all the international money available for HIV. The World Bank and the United States President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief are other major contributors.

However, more efforts are needed.

Indeed, despite the huge increase in funding over the years, the money raised to fight AIDS is still insufficient. For instance, it is expected that, in 2007, US$ 10 billion will be available while US$ 18.1 billion will be needed.

To plan the long-term fight against AIDS, funding needs to be managed in a better way so that countries can plan ahead knowing how much money they will receive each year. For instance, all governments and donors should say in advance how much money they will give and there must be systems in place to check that the promised money is actually given. More...

5.2 What research efforts have been made?

HIV vaccines and microbicides would benefit people in all countries, from the richest to the poorest.

Funding for research into the development of preventive vaccines nearly doubled from US$ 327 million in 2000 to nearly US$ 630 million in 2005.

Since 2001, research and development into safe and effective vaginal microbicides has gathered momentum with research money reaching an estimated US$ 163 million in 2005. Such microbicides could help prevent HIV transmission by killing the microbes in the vagina. Large-scale human trials are already under way to test how effective these drugs and other methods, such as the use of a female diaphragm and adult male circumcision, are in preventing HIV.

In almost three-quarters of countries, any research involving humans has to be approved by an ethics committee to make sure that trials are carried out in an acceptable manner. However, people living with HIV and the people caring for them, are usually insufficiently involved in reviewing the way research is carried out. More...