Dr Jose' M Zuniga, President of International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) said, "The 90:90:90 targets and goal to end AIDS by 2030, can be achieved. But, there can be no progress without action, and our ability to act is attenuated if much-needed funding is jeopardized. Under the Trump Administration's 2018 budget proposals, global health funding for programs, such as the PEPFAR, would be hard hit. Bilateral programs would experience a whopping $880 million cut. US contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria would be cut by $225 million. The USAID and other programs would also see cuts- malaria(44%), TB (26%), and MCH(8%). It will slow the forward momentum against AIDS."
Significant new HIV case get diagnosed by private sector
Prof R Sajith Kumar, Governing Council member of AIDS Society of India (ASI) said, "India boasts of an efficient public private partnership with a large proportion of patients under dual care as well. Almost 50% of HIV infected people are diagnosed by private practitioners, though many of them subsequently go to the Government for further care. ASI plays a great role by bringing both groups together under one academic entity. Viral load monitoring and resistance studies that have been extensively promoted by ASI, will contribute to progress towards achieving the 90:90:90 target that is part of India's National Health Policy 2017."
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains a big challenge
Reflecting on the current scenario in India, Dr RS Gupta, Deputy Director General of National AIDS Control Organization of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India said that, "The good news is that incidence and prevalence of HIV has declined sharply, as a result of improved prevention, care, support and treatment. However universal access of comprehensive healthcare services to all PLHIV and reaching out to the hidden and unidentified populations remains a big challenge in achieving 90-90-90 by 2020 and eliminating HIV by 2030".
Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
(Shobha Shukla is the Managing Editor of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is leading CNS onsite at 22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018) in Netherlands. Follow her on Twitter @Shobha1Shukla or @CNS_Health or visit www.citizen-news.org)
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