To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to work in partnership on AIDS prevention with government bodies in those countries to which his Department provides aid to reduce the incidence of AIDS. (215414)

National Governments have responsibility for resourcing, coordinating and delivering effective AIDS responses, but they need support from a wide range of other stakeholders. The Department for International Development (DFID) supports countries to develop and implement evidence-informed HIV prevention strategies that promote and protect human rights; that are relevant to the local epidemic context; and that promote comprehensive approaches to HIV prevention based on the realities of people’s lives.

There is strong evidence for the effectiveness of many approaches to HIV prevention, including condom use, family planning, methods to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), and for people who inject drugs, comprehensive harm reduction services, particularly needle and syringe exchange and drug treatment programmes, including non-injectable substitutes.

In countries with strong commitments to development, we focus on supporting the implementation of comprehensive country-led HIV and AIDS strategies, directly funding governments and working with civil society partners and donor agencies. In more fragile states, where governments are less effective, we provide technical support to strengthen government capacity as well as direct support for service delivery by civil society organisations.

A copy of the updated strategy “Achieving Universal Access—the UK’s strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in developing world” and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. These are also available on the DFID website:

www.dfid.gov.uk

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects and programmes his Department funds (a) to address critical health worker shortages and (b) to secure long-term sustainable financing to strengthen health systems in countries where HIV positive and AIDS are endemic. (215485)

The Department for International Development (DFID) provides flexible funding to back national plans and priorities and to help strengthen health systems as a whole. UK Government health spend in developing countries was £750 million in 2006-07. Addressing the shortage of health workers in these countries is a high priority for DFID. For example, in Ethiopia DFID is contributing to the massive scale-up of community health workers—from fewer that 3,000 in 2004 to 24,000 now and 30,000 by 2009. In Malawi, DFID is contributing to the Emergency Human Resources Programme, which aims to double the number of nurses and triple the number of doctors. DFID has also provided £1 million to the Global Health Workforce Alliance from 2007-09.

In "Achieving Universal Access—the UK's Strategy for Halting and Reversing the Spread of HIV in the Developing World" the Government have committed £6 billion to strengthen health systems and services over seven years to 2015 in poor countries where HIV and AIDS are a major problem. We have also committed £1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2015. A copy of the updated strategy 'Achieving Universal Access—the UK's strategy for Halting and Reversing the Spread of HIV in the Developing World' and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:

www.dfid.gov.uk