AIDS 2006: Coalition urges govts to deliver on Abuja targets
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PRESS STATEMENT
TIME TO DELIVER?
NOTHING WILL BE DELIVERED UNLESS AFRICAN TARGETS ARE MET, SAYS AFRICAN NGO COALITION
TORONTO - AUGUST 16 2006: Representatives of African civil society groups attending the 2006 International AIDS Conference, have warned that the conference theme 'Time To Deliver' may turn out to be an empty slogan, unless specific African targets set for universal access for HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment by 2010 are met.
At the African Union summit on AIDS, TB and Malaria in Abuja in May 2006, African leaders committed themselves to reaching the HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention needs of 80 percent and 100 percent of all Africans, by 2010. The targets formed the core of Africa's common position to the UN General Assembly Special Session on AIDS (June 2006).
Yet, both African governments and the international community have not taken steps towards fulfilling these commitments.
"African communities are most affected by the epidemic, but their concerns are not been addressed to by governments, international institutions and donors", says Sisonke Msimang, a representative of the African Civil Society Coalition on HIV and AIDS, and head of HIV/AIDS programmes at the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa.
"Nothing will be delivered until the global community supports the realisation of these ambitious but realistic targets by Africa", she adds.
Although the UNGASS political declaration recognized "the renewed commitment by African Governments and regional institutions to scale up their own HIV/AIDS responses" as contained in the Abuja document, it did not commit to supporting them to meet the targets.
To avoid the preventable delivery of millions of more lives to premature graves, the Coalition calls on African governments, donor countries and international agencies to make meeting these targets their immediate and top priority.
The coalition urged African governments and donors including the World Bank, PEPFAR and the European Union to immediately scale-up their financial and political commitments to meet the following universal access targets to be met by 2010, as agreed to at the Abuja summit:
Ø Reduce HIV prevalence in young people between 15 and 24 years, by at least 25% in ALL African countries
Ø Protect and support in 2010, 5 million children orphaned by AIDS and ensure that 80% of orphans and vulnerable children have access to basic services
Ø At least 80% of pregnant women have access to Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT), and treatment for HIV-positive women and children
Ø At least 80% access of those in need, particularly children, have access to HIV/AIDS treatment, especially antiretroviral, as well as care and support
These targets mean that:
Ø At least 80% of target populations access Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT)
Ø 100% of blood and blood products are safe to reduce the rate of transmission of HIV/AIDS
Ø 100% injection safety is ensured
Ø At least 80% of target populations have access to prevention and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
Ø At least 80% of target population use condoms for HIV prevention ensured
Ø 100% of refugees and other displaced persons have access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support when these are available to surrounding host populations
Ø 100% of all clients accessing HIV care and support services are screened for TB to ensure early detection and treatment
Ø 100% of TB patients have access to HIV testing and counseling services
Ø 100% of HIV-positive TB patients access antiretroviral treatment
Ø 100% access to sexual and reproductive health services including antenatal care
"The international community must ensure that the theme for the 2006 AIDS conference is not mere rhetoric", says coalition representative, Innocent Laison of the African Council of AIDS Service Organisations.
"African governments, donor countries and other international institutions must immediately deliver on their commitments to African governments and civil society in order to achieve these targets".