Inarguably, the global response to the AIDS epidemic in Africa has changed dramatically in the last decade. In 1998, the global community spent an estimated US$300 million fighting the epidemic. In 2005, the total climbed to more than US$8 billion.
In "The way the money goes: An investigation of flows of funding and resources for young children affected by AIDS" (2005) Alison Dunn argues:
"It is difficult to gather and analyse data on global funding for HIV/AIDS as there is no uniform reporting system. Most donors do not publish progress reports till after a one-year delay. When they do report, they often merge HIV/AIDS funding into broader categories suchas sexual and reproductive health, and there is little detailed breakdown of the money spent,or its impact."
While global responses to AIDS have scaled up over the last decade and there is no shortage of declarations, pledges, and promises for affected children; action and resources for children are still in short supply. According to Peter McDermott of UNICEF, children have not benefited from the political mobilization of the EU, the US, the African Union, and the G8, even though young people are deeply affected by AIDS. While there is no global meeting that does not address AIDS, the voices of children are still silent and youth are not represented in responses or associated with the global response.
Funding for the care and support of orphans and vulnerable children is just beginning to emerge. The UK's Department for International Development has made some attempt to focus on these children (see press releases from April 2006 and December 2004) although these contributions are small compared to the need (₤22 million for Zimbabwe in 2006, ₤150 million globally in 2004). Remember, the Africa Commission (2005) called for US$2 billion per year to meet orphans’ needs in Africa.
Beyond, meeting the care and livelihood needs of children, ARV treatment for children living with AIDS is rare. While the technology to treat children with HIV exists, still less than 10% of children are treated globally and in Africa, only 1% of children receive treatment. Of 2.2 million positive children, 50% do not reach their first birthday even though inexpensive drugs such as cotrimoxazole could reduce death by 40% for less than $10 per year.1 Many economists, and others, would argue that saving the lives of children or orphans with HIV is a poor use of limited international aid. These children will require treatment for the rest of their lives. Some will require livelihood support. The orphans will require caregiving. Each of these is expensive, particularly compared to the cost of vaccinations, bed nets or other public health interventions. While failing to provide healthcare and medicine to children affected by AIDS violates children's rights, still the vast majority of children living with HIV do not receive treatment.
Stephen Lewis on Pediatric Treatment for AIDS
Press Release on pediatric treatment: UNICEF and Baylor School of Medicine partner in Africa.
UNICEF's Orphan Response: UNITE for Children Unite against AIDS.
UNICEF's Call to Action: Children the missing face of AIDS
References
1. UNICEF, Unite for Children; Unite Against AIDS. 2006.
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