MANILA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific on Friday warned that disruptions in global funding could undermine efforts to curb the spread of HIV in Asia and the Pacific, home to the world's second-largest HIV epidemic.
The WHO regional agency said about 7 million people in the region are living with HIV, with an estimated 280,000 new infections and 120,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded annually. Countries including Fiji, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea are experiencing some of the world's fastest-growing HIV epidemics.
The agency said the financing landscape has changed drastically, as global development assistance has fallen sharply and international support for HIV continues to decline. Around 76 percent of HIV prevention spending in the region still comes from external sources, leaving outreach and community-led services for key populations exposed as international support declines.
It advocated that governments take responsibility for replacing external funding, integrating HIV into universal health coverage and primary healthcare, strengthening national systems and data, addressing societal barriers to services, and accelerating access to innovation. ■
