Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) Statement.
Currently, global markets are experiencing severe economic turmoil, characterized by dented faith in global economic regulatory institutions, severe credit crunch, and depletion of asset values. Many fear that the current crisis may lead to a synchronized economic recession in the major world economies in the near future. Such a scenario has wide reaching implications on all aspects of modern human endower. However, it has severe implications on health and well-being of economically and socially vulnerable sections of society. Particularly individuals and communities vulnerable to HIV and made vulnerable by HIV infection.
Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) call the attention of all the key stakeholders to focus the global financial crisis and its implications for HIV response in general and specially on economically and social weaker sections of the society who are infected, affected and made vulnerable by HIV.
The health-financing model in many developing countries relies heavily on direct state support and individual’s own resources for healthcare and related support services. Even a slight financial downturn in such countries may have implications on health and well-being of already vulnerable populations.
There are limited data and models available to predict the trajectories of such impact on HIV response in general.
IN this context, Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) calls for a careful monitoring of the situation and to initiate efforts to protect the poorest among the population groups who are vulnerable to HIV infection and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.
APACHA is concerned that a severe global financial crisis may have implications on all major aspects of HIV response such as reduced resources for conducting information, education and communication (IEC) for prevention, care, treatment and stigma reduction. Essential HIV support services may be the direct victim of any massive economic downturn. Resource crunch may dampen advocacy for greater community participation and creation of supportive social environment, which is an essential component of an effective HIV response.
Effort to implement good governance practice is an area which has achieved the least progress in the overall HIV response. Good governance- transparency and accountability- could be one of early casualty of economic downturn.
When calls are being made "to know your epidemic", resource crunch may affect effort to creating and managing localized HIV knowledge and capacity development.
In this context, the role of civil society will be crucial. Civil society must be extra vigilant to monitor the level of inequity in HIV response and to ensure that the most vulnerable populations, particularly, economically vulnerable population groups are not further stressed under the wait of a failed global economic system.
In many countries, the HIV response generally depends on the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA). HIV care and treatment programs in several countries are completely dependent on the generosity of global community. Continuing access to affordable HIV testing, counseling, care and treatment needs to be ensured. Investment in HIV related skill and capacity development is essential for continuing an effective HIV response.
The victims of the economic downturn should not be the programs for blood safety, access to clean needle and syringe programs, programs for reducing mother to child transmission of HIV, access to condoms and diagnostics facilities.
The economic cost of implementing non-discriminatory policies, which reduce stigmatization and human rights violations, must not be used as an excuse to scale down such programs.
Civil society must ensure that, continuing structural reforms, to ensure decriminalization of consensual sex, protection of the basic human rights, and universal access to healthcare.
Any economic bailout package of the currently flawed market economy must ensure the best interest of the economically poorer section of the society and they should not endure the worst of the past unregulated economic excess of the few, which, it appears, ultimately lead to the current crisis.
The food crisis, which preceded the current economic crisis, which has already made severe dent on food and nutritional security of people infected and affected by HIV, particularly from the economically weaker sections of the society. Unfortunately, even before the global HIV civil society grappled with the implications of global food crisis, the economic crisis has hit, making the situation further worse.
In June 2001, 189 Heads of State and government representatives signed the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. They promised to fight stigma and discrimination, promoting prevention, mobilizing resources, advocating universal access to treatment and promoting accountability. Economic crisis should not be an excuse to reverse their promises.
Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) calls upon all the key stakeholders of HIV response to carefully monitor the implications of current Global Economic crisis and the worsened food sovereignty crisis. The global HIV leadership must carefully monitor the situation and efforts should be taken to protect the poorest among the population group who are vulnerable to HIV infection and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.
We call upon:
- The Governments to "Keep the Promise!" Financial crisis should not be an excuse to turn away from the promises they have made.
- UNAIDS to develop a global advocacy strategy to address the impact of financial crisis on HIV response, with particular emphasis on the poor, marginalized and vulnerable population groups.
- Global Fund must ensure a preferential option for the poor in all their future grant makings.
- Civil society to be vigilant and monitor the impact of the economic crisis on HIV responses, particularly on the poor, marginalized and vulnerable population groups.
APACHA, is the largest Asian multi-sectoral civil society formation that brings together people affected and infected by HIV/AIDS, and made vulnerable to by HIV/AIDS, social movements, trade unions, women's rights movements, youth movements, faith based organizations, policy makers, and other progressive peoples' associations who share a commitment to combat the causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS.
APACHA has country chapters in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Vietnam, with its International Secretariat in Nepal.
Media contact:
Mr. Prabodh Devkota,
APACHA International Secretariat
Madhur Marg, Chun Devi
House no 23
P O Box : 7647
Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone : 00977-1-4721277, 4721278, 4720926
Email:
secretariat.asia@apachanet.org
