For immediate release



Colombo - Some countries are succeeding in bringing down the rate of new HIV infections and reducing in HIV/AIDS related deaths in Asia but the fundamental question still remains, “are the key combatants sincere enough in fighting the epidemic? Do the existing HIV/AIDS policies and programs address the ground reality?,” wonders the Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV&AIDS (APACHA) in its latest report Reality Check: HIV&AIDS Interventions in Asia, released today in Colombo, Sri Lanka, during the 8th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP).

In the report APACHA strongly criticizes World Trade Organization (WTO) policies and the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) as they impede the access to affordable Antiretro Viral drugs at an affordable price to millions of people across the world.

"In the name of providing protection to intellectual property through Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) such as patent rights, the TRIPS Agreement has made every possible effort to restrict access to life saving drugs at an affordable price," Devkota said.

In the report APACHA calls for a greater accountability, social responsibility, solidarity and collective actions from government and donors, corporate sector, and civil society groups to ensure just and democratic governance and achieve sustained improvements in the lives of infected, affected, and those who are at the risk of infection.

“The debilitating human rights condition, increasing democratic deficit, unabated conflicts and increasing religious fundamentalism in most of the countries in Asia, pose great challenges to address the causes and consequences of HIV & AIDS. And the increasing inequalities in the region, mass exodus and exacerbating violence, particularly against women, are making the fight against the epidemic more complex,” APACHA’s Asia Regional Coordinator, Prabodh Devkota said.

An unprecedented challenge in Asia

The entire Asia is facing an unprecedented challenge of HIV&AIDS, with possibly huge economic and social consequences. Despite there has been some progress regarding governments resource allocations in the recent years, it is not enough to meet the challenges posed by the epidemic because of weakening health care systems in the Asia region.

“People are dying from AIDS-related deaths because they have no access to food, medicine, and care and support. Those who are struggling to escape the jaws of death are compelled to put up with stigma, discrimination and inhuman treatments: a mockery of democracy,” Devkota says.

The report further elaborates how the unprecedented economic growth does not necessarily translate into meaningful quality public services or accountable governance. The most powerful countries in the region, for example, China and India with almost double digit growth, face a danger of possibly becoming the epicenters of the epidemic.

The reports also analyses the role of The Global Fund, which despite its potential to address governance in HIV&AIDS, “is still struggling to ensure democratic governance of Country Coordination Mechanisms,” the report affirms. In addition, the gap between the government and non-governmental sector has further narrowed down the political space of participation of people in their own development initiatives.

NO to WTO policies

According to the report, one of the factors impeding access to affordable ARV (and other life saving drugs) is the incorporation of stringent Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) rules in the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework. “The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is considered the most contentious agreement in the WTO system, mainly because of the way it has promoted the interest of the mega and multinational corporations, including pharmaceutical corporations,” the report vows.

Civil Society: Are we serious?

The report also highlights the weak civil society response. Though there are some inspiring initiatives to mobilize parliamentarians, political parties, and student unions, the issue of HIV&AIDS is yet to figure in their priority list. Similarly, the response from Trade Unions business sectors, and religious groups remains lukewarm. “While many of them are symbolic in nature, others lack sustainability and political values,” the report concludes.

For more information, comments or interviews contact - Prabodh Devkota, APACHA’s Asia Regional Coordinator, email: Prabodh.devkota@apachanet.org

Notes to editors:

Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV&AIDS (APACHA) is an alliance of multidisciplinary groups which has mobilized significant number of people in nine Asian countries to cut down the impacts of the pandemic.

APACHA Calls for…

• Governments to immediately introduce humanitarian relief programs for people living with HIV & AIDS (PLWHA) in poor families in Asia.
  
  
• No TRIPS. Guarantee the free access of HIV & AIDS related medicines including ART for PLWHA. Ensure public health rights take precedence over pharmaceutical patents.
  
  
• To redefine and implement long term development programs that address the structural causes of the epidemic and to allocate enough resource.
  
  
• To strengthen public health care systems with special focus on responsible care and quality treatment to PLWHA.
  
  
• To ensure just and democratic governance in HIV & AIDS related interventions from global to local levels.
  
  
• To ensure political and meaningful participation of PLWHA and other communities in decision making processes.
  
  
• To strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure the effectiveness of the ongoing programs, their transparency and accountability. Promote social audits.
  
  
• Governments and donors to promote development strategies based on the needs and experience of people and local realities.
  
  
• Governments to fully recognize the centrality of gender equality and equity in over all HIV & AIDS planning, implementation and monitoring processes. We call for donors and governments to promote women’s rights and end violence against women.
  
  
• Governments for a commitment for the reduction in military spending, and give priority to public health and HIV & AIDS.
  
  
• To end stigma and discrimination and ensure legislative measures to protect the rights of PLWHA and other marginalized communities to lead a dignified life.
  
  
• International donors and governments to take immediate action for fair and transparent aid, and to meet the commitments of debt cancellation.
  
  
• For the increase in financial support for the Universal Access Target by 2010. In addition, sustained and predictable funding for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria must be assured.
  
  
• Governments to take actions for the reform of the multilateral system of governance and the strengthening and democratization of the United Nations a reform of the World Bank, IMF and other International Financial Institutions, together with the WTO to adhere to these principles.
  
  
• Governments to ensure that engagement with civil society in the process of decision making - nationally, regionally and at the international level - is effectively facilitated.
  
  
• To promote multi-sectoral approach ensuring enough resource, capacity and coordination. As MDG provides a ground to systematically develop links among eight goals, it could be one of the best possible alternatives.
  
  
• Civil society, business sector, political parties, religious leaders, trade unions, student unions and all other networks and individuals to reflect, and realize the urgency of the epidemic and to take immediate actions to mobilize themselves and their respective constituencies to protect the rights of the people and to make a better Asia, a citizen’s Asia.