there is a “lack of interest in HIV on an international scale”, the Aides association condemned

For Aides, reduced funding jeopardizes prevention and access to treatment, undermining the goal of ending HIV by 2030.

“The lack of interest in HIV occurs on an international scale and also on a national scale in France and other countries”Tuesday criticized French Inter Fabrice Pilorgé, advocacy director of the Aides association, while UNAIDS, the UN organization responsible for fighting AIDS, warned against “the devastating consequences of brutal international budget cuts by many donors”about the fight against AIDS.

“Everything happened as if the decision makers, the authorities, thought that when we had achieved such great progress, we could let our guard down. But to take the final step and really reach the end of the HIV epidemic, we had to redouble our efforts. And then we saw money disappearing everywhere”complained the association’s advocacy director Aides. “This year the appeal for donations was 18 billion euros and we only collected 11.34 billion dollars”determined Fabrice Pilorgé.

“All this money” who will be left behind? “must pay for prevention”. This represents “two million people do not get HIV treatment”. This will also have an impact on the number of people who do it “supporting patients living with HIV and enabling people to have access to prevention”Fabrice Pilorgé warns. Therefore “entire systems are collapsing in perspective for everyone: the end of HIV by 2030”. However, according to him, “HIV will end in 2030, we can say goodbye to HIV in context” from a decrease in the allocation allocated to UNAIDS.

“On the ground, this also means unpaid educators, a reduction in services in certain countries, the elimination of positions in associations, especially communities, and in health centers. This represents a deconstruction of the service system for people living with HIV”emphasized Fabrice Pilorgé.

According to her, “What is very surprising is that France, which has always been an important leader, which is also one of the creators of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, has always seen an increase” his contribution. “But this time, France came in saying that we are not announcing its contribution, we will see later. So for now France is not contributing to the Global Fund.”laments Fabrice Pilorgé. France is waiting “so that the state budget is voted on”noted Chief Aides. “That’s the reason. But we don’t know” what will the French do who has already done it “until February to declare contributions”.

There is “suspended situation” who’s going “potentially causing many deaths”. And this coupled with budget cuts in the United States, “which has had a huge impact on the fight against AIDS since last January”concludes Fabrice Pilorgé.