Panel discussion 5: Resources and Universal Access

Feature Story

Panel discussion 5: Resources and Universal Access

09 June 2008

The final discussion panel of 2008 High-level meeting on AIDS will examine aspects of financing the response to AIDS, including sources of funding, resource allocation, and spending, “making the money work”, accountability and predictable and multi-year funding.

The panel will consider specific steps which can be taken to ensure predictable funding into the future, from all sources, without imposing excessive burdens on poor nations and the poorest communities.

This panel will be broadcast via live internet webcast at 19:00 GMT

Current situation

Responding to the call for increased resources to support the global AIDS response in 2001, new initiatives by multilateral institutions such as the World Bank’s Africa Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program and by bilateral donors, such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were launched to mobilize international resources in response to the spread of the AIDS epidemic.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was established to provide low- and middle-income countries with additional financing. Prices of some AIDS medicines have been greatly reduced and now millions of people are on antiretroviral treatment.

Questions to be discussed:

What can countries do to minimize the impact of uncertain and variable external funding?
How can countries ensure it is sustainable and mobilize their own resources?
Can adequate financing be achieved in the short and long term? If yes, then how will we do this?
What can low- and middle-income countries do to increase public expenditure on HIV?
Is there a role for social health insurance?
What role are these initiatives likely to play in bringing additional resources to the HIV response?
How can we show return on investments made in HIV programming?
How can it be ensured that countries develop sufficient and quality strategic information to know their epidemic and act accordingly?

The Chair of this panel is H.E. Mr. Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, Minister of Health (Iceland); and panelists are H.E. Mr. Daniel Kwelagobe, Minister, Presidential Affairs and Public Administration (Botswana), Mr. Vladimir Zhovtyak of Eastern European and Central Asian Union of People Living with HIV/AIDS (Ukraine), Mr. Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director, Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The Chair’s summary of this discussion will be published after the event, please check back to access it.