UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Programme, Luiz Loures (left) and Ambassador Faeqa Saeed Alsaleh, Assistant Secretary General and Head of social sector at the League of Arab States signing the Memorandum of Understanding on 20 May 2013.

GENEVA, 20 May 2013—The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 20 May marking a new commitment to the HIV response in the Arab Region.  

Guided by the 2011 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and global and regional HIV related initiatives, the MoU promotes a set of practical and regionally owned solutions to expand HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services. The agreement calls for the development of an Arab AIDS Strategy, mobilizing political leadership and enhancing accountability among the different stakeholders.

The General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and UNAIDS will work with relevant Arab Ministerial Councils at the League such as Health, Interior, Justice, Media, Youth and Sports, and Social Affairs as well as the Arab Parliament.

“Signing a joint MoU between the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and UNAIDS is a major step forward in our response to HIV,” said Dr Faeqa Said AlSaleh, Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the League of Arab States. “Through this strategic partnership with UNAIDS the League will work for an AIDS-free generation in the Arab Region.”  

The Arab Region has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. Between 2001 and 2011, the estimated number of people living with HIV in Arab countries increased from 170 000 to 230 000. The numbers of AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections have also increased significantly. Between 2001 and 2011, there was a 32% increase in AIDS-related deaths —from 12 000 to 16 000. Recent studies suggest that concentrated epidemics are emerging among key populations at higher risk of HIV infection in many countries. Since 2001, the number of people newly infected with HIV in Arab countries has increased by more than 47%—from 19 000 to 28 000.

 “The Arab region is an inspiration to the world. We are seeing a younger generation find new avenues of influence and become agents of change,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibe. ”This agreement brings new momentum to the HIV response in the Arab Region and builds on a transformative leadership, new partnerships and innovative methods to scale up the HIV response.”

Currently undergoing the most profound wave of change in their modern history, people around the region have voiced demands for political and economic inclusion, increased opportunities and social mobility. A new relationship between state and society based on human rights, social justice, participation, and accountability is being forged. Within this dynamic movement, the MoU also calls for the meaningful involvement of civil society and people living with HIV as key players for accelerating HIV response in the region.

Message from UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé

GENEVA, 17 May 2013—More than 30 years ago, gay men lit the first spark that kindled the world’s response to the AIDS epidemic. Thanks to the audacity and courage of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people, we have now seen extraordinary progress against AIDS around the world.

However, stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity still drive new HIV infections and are an obstacle to treatment efforts in every part of the world.

We call on political and community leaders to cast aside discriminatory laws and social practices.

The right to health belongs to everyone. Everyone should have access to HIV prevention, care, treatment and support.

Today and every day, UNAIDS stands with our fellow LGBT brothers and sisters for a world without homophobia and transphobia.

Let us work together to realize our vision: a world with zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.

In 2013 UK will meet its target to spend 0.7% of its national income on international development

GENEVA, 21 March 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the announcement made by the Rt Hon George Osborne, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the United Kingdom will meet its target of spending 0.7% of gross domestic product on international development this year.

“The UK is once again demonstrating its steadfast leadership,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Even in times of global economic difficulty it shows they have the interests of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people at the forefront and UNAIDS looks forward to continuing our close collaboration.” 

The UK is an integral partner in the response to HIV and has made the UNAIDS vision of getting to zero a priority. The UK has shown particular commitment to focused investments in Africa to reduce new HIV infections, stop HIV infections in children, address TB––the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, strengthen human rights, tackle stigma and invest in scientific research.

The UK will be the first member of the G8 to meet the target of 0.7% of gross domestic product which was pledged by United Nations Member States more than 40 years ago in a 1970 UN General Assembly Resolution. This makes the UK the sixth country to meet or exceed the 0.7% target joining only Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, serves as co-chair to the United Nations Secretary-General’s high-level panel of eminent persons on the post-2015 development agenda.

Message from UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé on International Women’s Day

GENEVA, 8 March 2013—On this day when we honour women, let me speak directly to the men. As husbands and partners, brothers and sons, we must be part of the solution to build a world where women and men are equal.

An equal world is one where all women and men have access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It is one where women and men can equally protect themselves from HIV.  And it is a world where women and girls are free to reach their full potential—without fear of violence from men. 

Ending violence against women is not only an urgent human rights need—it is critical to ending AIDS. Up to 7 out of 10 women experience violence in their lifetime. Violence or the fear of violence can prevent women from negotiating safer sex. At the same time women living with HIV are often more vulnerable to violence, which can stop women from getting the HIV care and treatment they need.

Today, half of all people living with HIV are women. Every minute one young woman is infected with HIV. This is not acceptable. Only when we value a girl’s health and welfare as highly as a boy’s, only when we listen and act equally to women’s voices—then can we have a chance at ending this epidemic.

On this International Women’s Day, I am counting on you to stand together as caring communities. Let us reach for shared dignity, mutual respect and a renewed commitment to end violence against women and girls.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=brfZTyppNH8

And looks forward to further studies to see if findings can be replicated.

GENEVA, 4 March 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and UNICEF welcome a new case study, which found a baby treated with antiretroviral drugs in the first 30 hours of life and who continued on HIV treatment for 18 months appeared to be functionally cured.

The findings were presented today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States of America.

According to researchers the mother who was living with HIV at the time of birth had not received antiretroviral (ARV) medication or prenatal care. Researchers say that the child was born prematurely in July 2010 in the state of Mississippi. Due to the high risk of exposure to HIV, the researchers say the baby was started on a triple therapy regimen of antiretroviral drug 30 hours after birth and before proof of infection could be confirmed. The newborn’s HIV-positive status was subsequently confirmed through a highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction testing which was conducted on several occasions.

The case study stated that the baby was discharged from the hospital after one week and continued ARV treatment until 18 months of age, when for reasons that are unclear the treatment was discontinued. However, when the child was seen by medical professionals about a half a year later, blood samples revealed undetectable HIV levels and no HIV-specific antibodies.

If the findings are confirmed this would be the first well-documented case of an HIV-positive child who appears to have no detectable levels of the virus despite stopping HIV treatment.

“This news gives us great hope that a cure for HIV in children is possible and could bring us one step closer to an AIDS free generation,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. “This also underscores the need for research and innovation especially in the area of early diagnostics.”

In 2011, UNAIDS and its partners launched a Global plan for the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keeping their mothers alive. Significant progress has been made and continued support and research is needed.

“While we wait for these results to be confirmed with further research, it is potentially great news,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake. “This case also demonstrates what we already know—it is vital to test newborn babies at risk as soon as possible.”

According to data from the World Health Organization and UNICEF only 28% of HIV-exposed babies were tested for HIV within six weeks of birth in 2010. Obstacles to early diagnosis and treatment include the high cost of diagnostics and difficulty of getting timely results and limited access to services and medicines. There were 330 000 children newly infected with HIV in 2011. At the end of 2011, 28% of children under the age of 15 living with HIV were on HIV treatment, compared to 54% of eligible adults.

Now two and a half year’s old, the toddler continues to thrive without antiretroviral therapy and has no identifiable levels of HIV. However, UNAIDS cautions that more studies need to be conducted to understand the outcomes and whether the current findings can be replicated.

ViiV Healthcare signs agreement to help bridge a critical gap in HIV treatment for children

GENEVA, 28 February 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the new collaboration between the Medicines Patent Pool and ViiV Healthcare to increase access to antiretroviral therapy for children. The new agreement is a significant step forwards in HIV treatment for children as very few antiretroviral drugs are formulated for paediatric use. In 2012 UNAIDS estimated that 72% of children living with HIV who were eligible for treatment did not have access.

Under the collaboration, ViiV will allow the paediatric formulation of the antiretroviral medicine abacavir to be supplied to 118 countries under a license agreement. The 118 countries are home to more than 98% of all children living with HIV. ViiV have also agreed to negotiate further licences that will allow the manufacture of low-cost versions of promising new, better adapted paediatric medicines that ViiV is currently developing. Once approved for safety and quality, the new medicines could also be supplied to the 118 countries.

“The agreement between the Medicines Patent Pool and ViiV promises to narrow a substantial gap in access to HIV treatment and offer new hope for children,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “I strongly urge other pharmaceutical companies, especially companies holding antiretroviral therapy patents, to join the Pool and help improve the lives of children and adults living with HIV around the world.”

ViiV has also pledged to work with other stakeholders to develop additional abacavir-based products for children and bring them quickly to market in developing countries. This is an important affirmation of the Medicines Patent Pool’s role in facilitating faster introduction of new, better-adapted and affordable medicines, particularly for developing countries.

The Medicines Patent Pool was founded in 2010 with the support of the innovative financing mechanism UNITAID to increase access to antiretroviral treatment. It works by creating a pool of patents that can be licensed by generic producers, thereby facilitating competition, fostering innovation and driving down prices. The United States National Institutes of Health and Gilead Sciences have previously contributed voluntary licenses to the Medicines Patent Pool.

Failure to extend the transition period for least-developed countries to become fully compliant with the TRIPS Agreement could put millions of lives at risk

GENEVA, 26 February 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today launched a new Issue Brief TRIPS transition period extensions for least-developed countries. The Issue Brief outlines that failure to extend the transition period for least-developed countries to become fully compliant with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) could seriously impede access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment and other essential medicines for people most in need.

Least-developed countries (LDCs) are home to some of the world’s most vulnerable people and bear considerable health burdens. In 2011, some 9.7 million of the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide, lived in LDCs. Of the people living with HIV in LDCs, 4.6 million were eligible for antiretroviral treatment in accordance with the 2010 World Health Organization HIV treatment guidelines, however only 2.5 million were receiving it.

In the 49 countries which are considered LDCs by the United Nations, non-communicable disease burdens are also rising much faster than in higher income countries. Data from low-income countries for instance suggests that cancer incidence is expected to rise by 82% from 2008 to 2030, whereas in high-income countries incidence is expected to rise at the much lower rate of 40%, in part due to widespread access to vaccines and medicines.

“Access to affordable HIV treatment and other essential medicines is vital if least-developed countries are to achieve the health-related and other Millennium Development Goals”, said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator.

In the Issue Brief, UNAIDS and UNDP urge WTO Members to give urgent consideration to the continued special needs and requirements of LDCs in respect of their social and economic development.

“An extension would allow the world’s poorest nations to ensure sustained access to medicines, build up viable technology bases and manufacture or import the medicines they need,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

The TRIPS Agreement was introduced in 1995 as a means of protecting intellectual property rights on a global scale. Patent protection, however, has also proved to be one of the factors contributing to high costs of medicines, placing many essential treatments outside the reach of LDCs. In recognition of this, WTO Members retained important options and flexibilities in the TRIPS Agreement. One of the flexibilities was that LDCs were granted an initial ten year transition period to become TRIPS compliant. Two extensions to this time period were granted. The general exception is due to expire on 31 July 2013. A proposal currently before the TRIPS Council, submitted on behalf of LDCs, requests a further extension to the general exemption from full TRIPS compliance for as long as a country remains an LDC.

The proposal is due to be discussed at the 5-6 March meeting of the TRIPS Council in Geneva, Switzerland. In the lead-up to and during discussions, UNAIDS and UNDP encourage all WTO Members to consider the full range of possible public health, economic and development benefits of such an extension.

Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki re-elected as NEPAD’s CEO

GENEVA, 1 February 2013—The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) applauds Senegalese President Macky Sall on his election as chairperson of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development’s (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee. The election took place on the fringes of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The high level body of 20 African leaders provides leadership and policy guidance to NEPAD.

“I congratulate President Sall on his election to this position which is key to the future of health and development in Africa,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director. “NEPAD is a critical partner of UNAIDS and is helping to drive the AIDS response forward on the continent.”

NEPAD in close cooperation with the African Union Commission, and with technical support of UNAIDS is developing the first ever accountability report on AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa, under the G8-Africa framework for 2013.

The report will assess progress, achievements and shortcomings in delivering commitments made by Africa and the G8 on the three diseases since African Union Heads of State and Government adopted the Abuja Declaration on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Other Infectious Diseases in 2001.

President Sall has been an important supporter of the AIDS response. Under his leadership, Senegal’s HIV response has continued to make progress. HIV prevalence is low and the country has made major efforts in the past five years to scale-up access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

NEPAD members also re-elected Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki as Chief Executive Officer. The former Prime Minister of Niger has had a pivotal role in developing the African Union Roadmap on Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity which calls for innovative solutions to accelerate the response to AIDS, TB and malaria.

Last year, UNAIDS and NEPAD signed a memorandum of understanding calling for strategic collaboration to advance sustainable responses to HIV, health and development across Africa.

The campaign aims to harness the power of football to raise awareness of HIV

JOHANNESBURG, 19 January 2013— The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé and the President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou launched the “Protect the Goal” initiative on January 19 at the opening ceremony of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations in Johannesburg.

The “Protect the Goal” campaign aims to raise awareness of HIV and mobilize young people to commit to HIV prevention. Globally, an estimated 4.6 million young people (15-24 years of age) are living with HIV. About 2 300 young people are infected with HIV each day. Many young people living with HIV, who are eligible for treatment lack access or do not know their HIV status. The “Protect the Goal” campaign also stresses the need for ensuring all the 15 million people eligible for life-saving antiretroviral treatment can access it by 2015.

“Accelerating large-scale efforts for HIV prevention and treatment is imperative in Africa,” said President Jacob Zuma. “With strong leadership from government and community support, South Africa is showing results and its commitment to ending AIDS.”

Earlier in January, the President of Ghana, John Mahama attended an event to send off the Ghana Black Stars National Football Team to the Africa Cup of Nations. During the event, President Mahama signed a pledge supporting the “Protect the Goal” campaign. The Captain of the Black Stars also signed and read out the pledge. As part of advocacy activities in the lead-up to the tournament, UNAIDS country offices were able to enlist the support of other national football federations to the Protect the Goal campaign. As a result, team captains from Algeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, and Niger signed the pledge to support the campaign. Other countries are expected to join the initiative during the three week-long Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

During the Africa Cup of Nations, UNAIDS is partnering with the Confederation of African Football, the South African Football Association and the Tobeka Madiba Zuma Foundation to implement the “Protect the Goal” initiative. During the campaign, UNAIDS and its partners will disseminate HIV prevention messages on large electronic screens to football fans in all stadiums where the Africa Cup of Nations football games are taking place. The captains of each of the 16 teams participating in the games will read a statement calling on players, football fans and young people to support the campaign. The “Protect the Goal” campaign will continue until the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“Football appeals so much to young people and I am thrilled to have such a groundswell of support from the stars of African soccer,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé. “I know this is just the start of an astonishing campaign which will generate much enthusiasm among fans all the way to Brazil 2014.”

“We are extremely happy to support UNAIDS in their efforts to roll out this campaign across the continent,” said President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou. ”Our teams are committed to an Africa where AIDS is no longer a threat.”

The 29^th edition of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations will last until 10 February, the day of the finale. It is the most prestigious football tournament on the continent and happens every two years. The sixteen teams participating in this year’s championship are: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa (host), Togo, Tunisia, and Zambia.

UNAIDS welcomes new plan and calls for leveraging the unprecedented alignment of global priorities in the AIDS response

Credit: UNAIDS/Y.Gripas

GENEVA, 29 November 2012—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the unveiling of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Blueprint: Creating an AIDS-free Generation, by United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Blueprint builds on the remarkable results that have been achieved to date and sets a bold course for the future. The new US plan of action focuses on four critical pillars: saving lives, smart investments, shared responsibility and driving results with science.

A new consensus for action has emerged in the AIDS response. Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma attended the launch of the Blueprint and voiced her support for the US efforts. In July this year, the African Union Commission, in strong collaboration with UNAIDS adopted a new Roadmap on shared responsibility and global solidarity for AIDS, TB and Malaria response in Africa, a further example of the strong global commitment to prioritizing HIV.

"Never in the history of the AIDS response have we been so aligned in our priorities, our mutual respect and in our shared motivation for results," said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. "We must commit to immediately bring countries and resources together—to close the capacity gap between where we are today and where we must be tomorrow.”

Credit: UNAIDS/Y.Gripas

To get to an AIDS-free generation faster, smarter and better, UNAIDS and stakeholders will help ensure that technical assistance capacity is strengthened in countries, with a focus on finding practical solutions to specific country-level obstacles.

Building on the theme of shared responsibility in the Blueprint, UNAIDS is calling for a new partnership paradigm focused on: One country ownership plan, one smart investment plan and one mutual accountability plan.

There are 1000 days to reach the Millennium Development Goals and the 2015 targets of the UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS that include eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive.

“Today we have the political will and the science, now we must build the capacity to reach everyone in need of HIV services,” said Mr Sidibé. “To do this it is essential that the AIDS response is fully funded and that the resource gap is closed.”

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