The Global Economic Crisis

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The global economic crisis threatens recent gains in health and poverty reduction in developing countries. What is the effect of the crisis on HIV programmes, especially in high HIV prevalence countries? What are the possible consequences? What can be done to avoid negative impacts? Information collected in late March 2009 from respondents in 71 countries (in which 3.4 million people are on antiretroviral treatment) indicates that:  Respondents in 11% of the surveyed countries report that the global crisis is already affecting antiretroviral treatment programmes. There are 427 000 people on treatment in these eight countries. These countries include 13% of people on treatment.  Respondents in 31% of the countries, where 1.8 million people are on antiretroviral treatment, expect an impact on treatment this year. There is a risk that scaling-up treatment access for the two thirds of people living with HIV who need, but are not on, treatment will stall.  There is considerable uncertainty. In 30% of countries (21 countries), respondents were unsure if treatment would be affected. This applies particularly to Latin America and Asia. These countries are affected by the crisis, but respondents are unsure how much it will affect the government budget, which is the main source of funding for their HIV programmes.  Treatment programmes appear more vulnerable in some regions. Respondents expect an impact in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern and Central Europe and the Caribbean, but not in North Africa, the Middle East and Latin America and Asia (except for two countries) .