China’s Ministry of Health announces an expansion of its essential medicines list. Looks like there will be increased access to cancer treatments, and a series of drug cost cuts. In 2002, anti-retrovirals (ARVs) were added to the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, but no plans yet for China to add them to the list. China currently provides a limited number of first-line ARVs under the Four Frees and One Care Policy.
[COMMENTARY] To Fix the Global Fund, Get Funds to the Grassroots
By Sara L.M. Davis
In his recent New York Times op-ed, Paul Farmer calls for increased funding for
the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He’s right, but to
really put muscle into the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Global Fund also needs
to change its top-down approach to funding, given the reality that HIV/AIDS
specifically targets the most marginalized people in any society.
[NEWS] China: Reject “Real-Name” HIV Testing to Fight AIDS ｜ 中国：抗击艾滋病 拒绝HIV检测”实名制”
By Asia Catalyst
On February 8, China’s Ministry of Health and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) both expressed support for new proposed regulations in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region that would implement real-name testing for HIV, suggesting these could become national policy. Wang Yu, Director of the Chinese CDC, said that real-name HIV testing would allow health workers to follow-up with people who test positive, helping them to access treatment and prevent transmitting HIV to sexual partners.
We are concerned that without stronger confidentiality protections and stronger laws on discrimination, a move to real-name HIV testing will drive more people underground and away from government testing and treatment programs. Please sign this petition to the Ministry of Health.
[COMMENTARY] Five Years of Inciting Nonprofit Stability
By Sara L.M. Davis
In November 2006, Chinese AIDS activist Li Dan sent me an email in New York. I had met this young Chinese PhD student turned AIDS activist once or twice, most recently at a dinner honoring him as a recipient of the Reebok Human Rights Award.
“We’re thinking of starting an AIDS law center in Beijing,” he wrote in his message. “Do you know anyone who might be interested?”
I did – in fact, I had just come home from having coffee with Jonathan Cohen of the Open Society Institute, who had mentioned an interest in funding an AIDS law project in China. That project launched both Li Dan’s Korekata AIDS Law Center and Asia Catalyst.
[NEWS] UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights Statement on Crisis of HIV Funding
Geneva, 30 January 2012 – The November 2011 announcement of the cancellation of the 11th round of funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria because of the Fund’s financial difficulties presents the international community with both a health and a human rights crisis. Since its first round of funding in 2002, the Global Fund has played an indispensable role in advancing the health and human rights goals of the global HIV response.
The Global Fund’s financial difficulties are part of a broader global HIV funding crisis. This funding crisis is the most important human rights issue in the HIV response at this time. Paradoxically, funding is being flat-lined or reduced just as science, medicine and programmes are providing the tools for success against HIV.
