Several countries found across the world could suffer from a resurgence of HIV and tuberculosis as funds decline. A new report elaborated by a world-renowned medical organization urge countries to revamp funding models in the case of HIV and TB before it is too late.
The pair of diseases are responsible for more than one million deaths every year. According to official statistics, over ten million new TB cases were recorded in 2017, and 1.7 million HIV cases surfaced in 2018. Five countries have managed to reach the target to reduce deaths caused by HIV by 75% until 2020.
Funds are essential for the prevention, diagnosis and efficient treatment of the diseases during the early stages. The main problem is that funding has fallen spectacularly as the costs are transferred to affected countries. The transition from a system funded mainly by donors to one sustained by the state is to abrupt, and the population suffers as developing countries strive to address the problem.
Funding for HIV programs across the globe fell over $1 billion in 2018, the first fall in over a decade. In the case of TB programs, the numbers are even bigger, reaching $3.5 billion.
The data was collected from nine countries where the organization is present, among which we can count the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Myanmar. Within the report, experts urge international donors and local governments to work together in an attempt to boost funding s and keep the current programs active.
It is theorized that the progress which has been made in the last decade could be in jeopardy as a backtrack could take place in the following years. The appearance of new disease strains is also an important factor that also contributes to the problem.
More needs to be done to prevent the suspension of essential programs, which are the only barrier between mass epidemics and reality.
