Developing Countries: AIDS

Mr. Laurence Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department is providing to tackle AIDS in developing countries in 2007-08; how much of this funding is going to children affected by AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Alexander
The precise value of HIV and AIDS funding in 2007-08 will not be known until the end of the current financial year.

Mr. Laurence Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress he has made in increasing the access of people with AIDS in developing countries to generic medicines; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Malik
The Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM), UNITAID and the US Government’s President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are the largest funders of HIV treatment for low and middle income countries. Each allows countries to purchase generic medicines. PEPFAR, UNITAID and the GFATM provide guidelines for the quality assurance of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) purchased with their support.

The UK has made a commitment to the GFATM of up to £1 billion up to 2015 subject to performance. The UK has also made a commitment to UNITAID of up to £760 million over 20 years subject to performance.

The GFATM estimates that it has provided treatment for 1.8 million people over five years. It has strongly supported the purchase of generic ARVs by countries. However, the GFATM does not currently publish a total figure for the proportion of ARVs purchased with its funding that are generics.

For HIV treatment, UNITAID provides funding primarily for paediatric and second-line ARVs. UNITAID also provides funding for diagnostic tests and treatment to prevent the transmission of HIV from mothers to their children. UNITAID specifically aims to increase access to quality low-price and generic ARVs through its funding.

PEPFAR’s supply chain management system reports that it increased its purchasing of generic versus branded ARVs from 72 per cent. between April and September 2006 to 88 per cent. (by volume) from January to March 2007.