Statements and Webcast
Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria
H.E. Mr. Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director
10 June 2011
- Statement: English (Check against delivery)
Statement Summary
MICHEL KAZATCHKINE, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said that the Fund was supporting half of the 6 million people on antiretroviral treatment in developing countries and was the major international funder for HIV prevention, including for prevention of mother-to-child transmission and harm reduction. Programmes supported by the Fund had saved at least an estimated 7 million lives from the three diseases in the last eight years. In 2001, the idea of treating millions of people with HIV, or virtually eliminating mother-to-child transmission, seemed almost utopian. Five years ago, those goals began to seem achievable. Today, they were realistic objectives.
As for the achievements in HIV treatment and prevention over the past years, the representative said that more still needed to be done to maximize the impact of investments, consistent with the UNAIDS investment analysis. That meant striking a balance between country ownership of programmes and ensuring that prevention targeted those most at risk, as well as accelerating the uptake and coverage of such new approaches, such as male circumcision and couples testing. Also needed were strengthening health systems and improving the health of women and children; more strategically leveraging markets for pharmaceutical products; promoting human rights and ensuring equitable HIV services; and obtaining new resources. It was also crucial for donors to continue to invest in the fight against AIDS and other diseases. The Global Fund would pursue each of those areas.
Source: GA/11093