(Ottawa) Activates of the fight against AIDS urges Ottawa to quickly renew Canada’s support for the fight against infectious diseases abroad, warning that any delay will further hinder global efforts to combat the main diseases.
“While some countries are currently reducing their investments in global health, Canada can and must act quickly to save lives,” said Justin McAley, director of the Canadian Branch of the One Campaign.
His group is one of the 24 Canadian civil society organizations that have asked the government to allocate 1.37 billion over three years to the World Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The fund is affiliated with the United Nations and helps developing countries to limit and treat the three avoidable diseases, which are among the main causes of death in many regions.
Canada is one of the world’s main donors in the fund, which represents the largest share of health of Ottawa in health. Canada has paid nearly 5 billion to the World Fund since 2002. The fund estimated that it saved 65 million lives during this period.
Countries are replacing the fund every three years, their contributions generally increasing over time as health systems strengthen their capacities to deal with and prevent these diseases.
At each cycle, civil society groups publish what they call a fair sharing indicator in order to reflect the amount that each rich country can reasonably commit to contributing to the achievement of the fund’s objectives.
Randeep Sarai’s office, Secretary of State for International Development, has sent the demands of 1.37 billion in Global Affairs Canada.
“Canada is delighted to collaborate with the Global Fund to ensure the success of the eighth reconstruction of resources this year,” wrote the ministry in a statement. Discussions concerning Canada’s commitment are underway. »»
Justin McAuley hopes that Ottawa will soon announce his commitment, in order to create a dynamic inciting other countries to follow his example.
“Canada has a unique role and heritage to play in the world health,” he said. Our momentum will be precious on the international scene, if we intervene early and do not wait for the last minute. »»
The fund in danger?
Results Canada, another group asking Ottawa to reach the objective of civil society, stressed that the G7 summit organized by Canada in Alberta “focused on trade, conflicts and climate, but has neglected two of the most powerful tools for global stability: health and education.”
This puts the legacy of the World Fund “in danger,” said the group in an email campaign. “While countries reduce international aid, decades of hard -acquired earnings are at stake.”
UNAIDS reported on July 10 that infections and HIV infections continue to decrease, but that the sudden budget cuts in the United States and other countries “threaten to cancel years of progress in the Riposte to HIV”.
The American Republicans recently canceled their project to reduce the PEPFAR, the world’s largest program to combat HIV, but Washington is still about to reduce its contribution to the Global Fund.
Countries generally make their commitments at an organized conference, as in the last cycle, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went to the United Nations in New York in 2022.
There is no conference of contributions announcements this year, although Mr. McAuley expects that the leaders of the major economies make commitments before their visit to South Africa for the G20 summit in November.
He pointed out that global health is already under pressure due to armed conflicts, climate events and the current resumption of health systems after the budget cuts linked to the COVVI-19 pandemic. Rich countries reduce their foreign aid while increasing their military spending.
During the elections last spring, Prime Minister Mark Carney promised not to reduce foreign assistance spending or development funding, although it is an examination of public spending and undertakes to invest massively in the military sector.
According to Mr. McAuley, the Prime Minister must meet the criteria defined by civil society, failing which he would be out of step with his two predecessors.
“MM. Harper and Trudeau have both taken their responsibilities repeatedly and have made their fair share in Canada, he said. Will M. Carney break with this trend and backtrack? »»