The treatment of HIV and AIDS in Africa is suffering from the global economic crisis, says the Dutch Stop Aids Now! foundation. In a report published today, World Aids Day, it says Western governments are spending less money on HIV and AIDS-medication due to budget cuts.

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The Netherlands is among the countries that is spending less money on HIV and AIDS medicine next year, with the original 29 million euro budget slashed by fifty percent.

The report was presented today in Amsterdam, where 5,000 small white crosses with a red AIDS-ribbon were erected on the Museum Square behind the Rijksmuseum to mark World Aids Day.

The crosses represent the AIDS-victims in Africa who “are the real victims of the economic crisis”, according to Stop Aids Now! director Louise van Deth.
 

Pointless
“While we’re worrying over stock markets and pensions, it’s the people in Africa who suffer the most”, she told Radio Netherlands Worldwide. “All the investments we’ve done over the past ten years have been pointless if these budgets are really cut”.

The disastrous effects of the economic crisis on African HIV- and AIDS-sufferers are clear, Stop Aids Now! says in its report. These effects are twofold. First, authorities will run out of HIV-medicine sooner if less money comes in. Also, patients have less money for their normal daily needs, which affects their life as an HIV- or AIDS-sufferer as well.
 

Empty stomach
“I was in Kenya recently, and I spoke to many people with HIV there”, says Ms Van Deth. “Several people told me they had nothing to eat and you can’t take your HIV-medication on an empty stomach. Others told me they have no money anymore to buy a bus ticket to go to a hospital to get their medication. The crisis hurts everyone, but AIDS-patients in particular”.

The Dutch government is currently the world’s biggest donor for AIDS-treatment in Africa, but budget cuts have also hit the funds of the Dutch Minister of Development Aid, Bert Koenders. From next year, he will spend fifteen million euros, a 50 percent cut compared to this year.

50,000 fewer people
“If you make a simple calculation, fifteen million euros would mean approximately 50,000 fewer people on medication next year”, says Ms Van Deth. “Ultimately, these people would die”.

What makes it hard to accept for Stop Aids Now! that funds are to be cut is the success of the anti-HIV and AIDS-campaign in Africa over the past few years. In 2008, over 800,000 people received treatment for the first time, bringing the total of people receiving AIDS-medication to over 3 million.
 

Babies
“Fewer babies are born with HIV thanks to these campaigns”, says Ms Van Deth. “It’s safe to say we’ve saved 200,000 babies lives since 2001 under the current scheme. Let’s hope the donor governments keep on giving money, otherwise our recent positive results will be reversed”.

Dutch AIDS-ambassador Marijke Wijnroks, who has been appointed by the Dutch Foreign Ministry, agrees with Stop Aids Now! that the economic crisis has an effect on the treatment of HIV and AIDS in Africa. But she doesn’t think too much can be done about it.

Difficult choices
“All our budgets are shrinking due to the economic crisis. The development aid budget is also hit. The minister had to make difficult choices and of course, every decision you make will hurt people”, was her cautious response at the report’s launch.
 

The report makes for a gloomier World Aids Day than in previous years, admits Ms van Deth. “Especially since there are results and we know what we have to do. So I call upon everyone to make sure that our investments are not wasted”.