Potentially lifesaving treatment for people suffering from these and other diseases is now being jeopardised by this cut in funding. Basically, donor governments and other bodies are not living up to the commitment they set back in 2001 when the fund w
Ann Van Lancker
Belgian MEP Ann Van Lancker has condemned the decision to cut financial help for the global fund against HIV-Aids, TB and malaria in the coming 12 months by 3bn dollars.
The fund, earmarked to tackle the three diseases in the developing world, has been cut from 8bn to 5bn dollars for 2009-10 in the wake of the worldwide financial crisis.
The decision, announced on Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, was criticised by Van Lancker, a member of parliament’s socialist group.
She said, "This is a great, great shame and reinforces the view that, in times of financial difficulty, the first thing governments do is to cut foreign assistance.
"When the global fund was set up in 2001, it was supposed to commit between 7bn to 10bn dollars per year to the fight against Aids and other diseases.
"The results of the fund are impressive - it has provided aids treatment to two million people and TB treatment to some five million," said Van Lancker, a member of an all-party working group on poverty.
She added, "Even so, potentially lifesaving treatment for people suffering from these and other diseases is now being jeopardised by this cut in funding. Basically, donor governments and other bodies are not living up to the commitment they set back in 2001 when the fund was launched.
"You could say it is a sign of the time but I find it very, very worrying because it endangers the health of millions of people in some of the poorest nations on earth."
The EU and UN are among those bodies which contribute to the global fund, along with national governments, the private sector and civil society.
The fund estimates that it will need 8bn dollars to fund new projects and programmes in 2009 and 2010 yet current pledges total only 3bn dollars, resulting in a 3bn dollar funding gap.
Her comments were echoed by Jeffrey Sachs, special adviser to the UN secretary general, who said, "Investing in the global fund is the smart thing and the right thing to do.
"In reality, 5bn dollars to save lives and support developing countries is less than one half of one per cent of what G8 countries have approved to bail out failing banks in the last three months."
She said a "fully-funded" global fund was the "key" to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
Rajat Gupta, chairman of the global fund, said, "It is tempting to cut foreign assistance during uncertain economic times but that is an ineffective strategy.
"We should maintain our investments in what is most effective and the global fund is exactly the kind of institution that has proven successful in helping protect households from the worst aspects of poverty.
"We are not asking for a bailout. We are asking donor governments to honour their previous commitments to spend this level of money for the world’s health and prosperity.
"At the current rate, these funds could save nearly two million additional lives in the coming years."
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