patent wars on aids drugspublic health or corporate wealth? |
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GlobalSituation There are several issues that is impeding scaling up treatment worldwide. The first and foremost issue is that of human and institutional capacity. The second is drug availability and the cost of the drugs. It is unacceptable that some developing countries are paying over $10,000/year for HIV treatment even today. People in these countries cannot live without access to generics. Do we need innovation and should more and more countries move toward local production of antiretrovirals to save the lives of people in their countries?. The third issue is intellectual property. Greater efforts are needed to help countries take full advantage of TRIPS and other global trade agreements to help extend access to medications. Some of the developing countries are unfortunately not aware of their rights and being subjected to stricter than necessary patent provisions in local governments that undermine the flexibility extended to these poor countries by the Doha Declaration. The fourth is that prevention needs to remain a priority. Prevention should also be focused on as access to treatment is addressed. Stigma and discrimination is the fifth challenge. We need to address the social barriers that drive people away from care. The last factor is commitment. WHO is providing the technical support to increase treatemnt access. The World Bank is assisting by funding the initiative. The 3x5 initiative's goal is to provide treatment to 3 million people by the end of 2005. UNAIDS is working with WHO to co-ordinate accelerated access to treatment at country level. We have to act fast, be aggressive because people who need the medications cannot wait. Solutions On December 1st in 2003 WHO, UNAIDS and the Global Fund issued the 3x5 initiative issued a blueprint plan for collective action with 6 million people out of 40 million people living with the virus needing treatment today in order to extend their lives. The 3x5 initiative, in some ways, has transformed the global discussion on AIDS. What is 3x5? It simply means 3 million people by 2005. This initiative focuses on when and how we are going to get treatment to the affected rather than if it can be done. Thanks to this initiative, the expectations from the governments in heavily affected countries and people living with HIV is different today than it was before this initiative was launched. Programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America have proved that antiretroviral therapy can be delivered in resource poor settings. There are about 440,000 people in antiretroviral treatment currently. This is a shockingly low number, yet it is a doubling of where we were two years ago. HIV/AIDS is a global emergency, if serious action is not taken we could face social collapse within a few generations. The possibility of accelearting treatment can happen only if we bring on board the most powerful political leaders in the world. Introduction There are several issues that is impeding scaling up treatment worldwide. The first and foremost issue is that of human and institutional capacity. The second is drug availability and the cost of the drugs. It is unacceptable that some developing countries are paying over $10,000/year for HIV treatment even today. People in these countries cannot live without access to generics. Do we need innovation and should more and more countries move toward local production of antiretrovirals to save the lives of people in their countries?. The third issue is intellectual property. Greater efforts are needed to help countries take full advantage of TRIPS and other global trade agreements to help extend access to medications. Some of the developing countries are unfortunately not aware of their rights and being subjected to stricter than necessary patent provisions in local governments that undermine the flexibility extended to these poor countries by the Doha Declaration. The fourth is that prevention needs to remain a priority. Prevention should also be focused on as access to treatment is addressed. Stigma and discrimination is the fifth challenge. We need to address the social barriers that drive people away from care. The last factor is commitment. WHO is providing the technical support to increase treatemnt access. The World Bank is assisting by funding the initiative. The 3x5 initiative's goal is to provide treatment to 3 million people by the end of 2005. UNAIDS is working with WHO to co-ordinate accelerated access to treatment at country level. We have to act fast, be aggressive because people who need the medications cannot wait.Statistics HIV/AIDS Statistics: GlobalAdults age 15-49 living with HIV/AIDS - 37,000,000
Trends The availability of ARV drugs for treatment of HIV/AIDS varies from region to region. Regardless of the extent of prevalence of HIV in the regions, it is not an exaggeration to say that AIDS is hindering development and exacting a devastating toll on families worldwide. The life expectancy of people in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to decline by atleast 13 years or more given the rapid spread of AIDS and lack of availability of ARV medications. In certain regions where there is no ARV availability, the life expectancy is predicted to drop below 35. In several regions, the impact of this has been more traumatic on women and girls as they frequently find themselves having to drop out of school to care for infected family members. The number of children orphaned by AIDS is climbing by leaps and bounds yearly. Several households are headed by children who take on the burden of caring for their younger siblings. Stigma and discrimination surrounding the issue further complicates the situation. Statistics reveal that AIDS-affected families are facing a rapid decline in their living standards. When affected by HIV/AIDS and they are unable to receive ARV treatment, their health deteriorates, and they find the illness simultaneously taking away their income. In many poor countries, poverty and AIDS go hand in hand. Access to Treatment and Care Globally, access to antiretroviral treatment and other means of HIV-related care is low. The WHO estimates that in the next two years, five to six million people in developing countries will die if they do not receive ARV treatment. Given the fact that nine out of ten people who urgently need treatment are not being reached, this horrible statistic seems imminent. Though access varies from region to region, the global effort to increase access to HIV treatment has improved dramatically over the past few years. Some countries have, in an effort to support treatment service, allocated funds from national budgets and debt relief. Most countries with national AIDS plans have incorporated ARV treatment into them, as well as set specific ARV treatment coverage targets. Treatment and care is becoming a growing focus of donor commitment to increase the global HIV response. More and more companies are providing HIV treatment programs for their employees. The WHO and UNAIDS launched the '3 by 5' initiative in September of 2003 with the aim of providing ARV to three million people in developing countries by year end 2005. This increase in efforts to provide HIV treatment worldwide is a step in the right direction. Response On December 1st in 2003 WHO, UNAIDS and the Global Fund issued the 3x5 initiative issued a blueprint plan for collective action with 6 million people out of 40 million people living with the virus needing treatment today in order to extend their lives. The 3x5 initiative, in some ways, has transformed the global discussion on AIDS. What is 3x5? It simply means 3 million people by 2005. This initiative focuses on when and how we are going to get treatment to the affected rather than if it can be done. Thanks to this initiative, the expectations from the governments in heavily affected countries and people living with HIV is different today than it was before this initiative was launched. Programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America have proved that antiretroviral therapy can be delivered in resource poor settings. There are about 440,000 people in antiretroviral treatment currently. This is a shockingly low number, yet it is a doubling of where we were two years ago. HIV/AIDS is a global emergency, if serious action is not taken we could face social collapse within a few generations. The possibility of accelearting treatment can happen only if we bring on board the most powerful political leaders in the world.
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