Remarks given at the 40th Programme Coordinating Board meeting of UNAIDS in Geneva, June 27, 2017
Thank you Mr Chair.
Thank you Michel for your report and contextual analysis. Your words and those of the First Lady of Panama, strongly resonate for countries in Eastern Europe and central Asia.
Eight out of 12 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including the largest one, have been reporting a continuous increase in the number of new HIV infections and on an epidemic that continues to grow by about 10% per year.
Also of significant concern is the steady increase in the number of HIV-TB co-infections. The number of people living with HIV among newly diagnosed TB cases has doubled in the last five years; HIV-TB co-infection in the region, often means co-infection with resistant forms of TB.
Despite the acknowledged concentrated character of the epidemic, testing and access to prevention programs remains low among vulnerable groups of the population. Harm reduction programs for example, reach less than 10% of PWID in the region. Opioid maintenance therapy is now part of the national strategy in nine of the twelve countries of EECA but remains illegal in three.
Access to antiretroviral treatment also remains low, of less than 25% of those estimated to be in need, although these figures have been significantly increasing in several countries in the region in the last three years. The region has conducted strong and effective programs to prevent vertical transmission of HIV.
Stigma is high and many obstacles of societal, cultural, legislative and political nature remain. We still have much to do to ensure that the tremendous programmatic knowledge we have about how to respond to concentrated epidemics is more effectively translated into national strategies.
As a Special Envoy, I have conducted high level advocacy and dialogue to promote country-specific strategic priorities to fast-track the AIDS response. I focused on addressing the needs of key populations and on the issue of sustainable financing for the fight AIDS, TB, DR-TB and hepatitis in a region where funding from international sources has been diminishing or discontinued. More specifically, I also worked with local and international partners to ensure uninterrupted access to HIV and DR-TB treatment for people living in the conflict areas of Eastern Ukraine and for labor migrants in Central Asia.
It has been an honor to serve under Secretary General Ban Ki Moon whose commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and to the health of the most vulnerable I had learned and respected also throughout my years at the Global Fund. I welcome SG Guterres’s commitment to human rights and development.
I would like to particularly thank Michel for his support; thank the regional and country teams of UNAIDS, WHO, UNDP, UNODC, UNFPA and UNICEF for a truly excellent cooperation; thank the governments, civil society and community organizations in the region for a trustful relationship throughout these few years.
We need to maintain the international leverage and dialogue in the region.
I remain strongly positive, recognizing the progress that is being made, having faith in the wonderful people of the region and remaining confident that if we do what needs to be done, the fight against AIDS in the region will ultimately be won.