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Progress on the Implementation of DFID's HIV/AIDS Strategy: International Development Select Committee Report

The International Development Committee has called for greater clarity in DFID's spending plans on HIV and AIDS. In a report released on World AIDS Day they said:

"We remain seriously concerned, however, that DFID has no mechanisms in place to track the impact which its £6 billion funding for health systems will have specifically on HIV/AIDS care, despite this being one of the key elements of its Strategy."

The report continues "We reject DFID’s assertion that it is not “feasible, practical or desirable” to specify how its £6 billion in health systems funding will be allocated. We recommend that, in response to this Report, the Department provide us with a meaningful breakdown of its spending plans for this funding package, at least over the next two to three years, including an indication of how HIV/AIDS programmes are likely to benefit."

The report refers to the APPG's Treatment Timebomb report into access to anti-retroviral treatment in the developing world and recognises the challenge of providing second-line treatments. It calls on DFID to expand access programmes and commends DFID's work with UNITAID on patent pools.

Read the full report here.

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The Treatment Timebomb: APPG Inquiry into long-term access to HIV medicines in the developing world; July 2009

The Treatment Timebomb report looks at the changing medical needs of people with HIV, as more people require second-line medicines, or find that they can not tolerate the side-effects of the most basic first-line treatments. It considers the cost implications of these changes and how affordable treatment can be reconciled with ongoing research into new and better medicines. You can download the report directly here or read more about the inquiry process and the findings here.

It describes how by 2030 over 50 million people will need HIV treatment compared to just 9 million who need it today. The report argues that to avoid a treatment crisis pharmaceutical companies need to cooperate by allowing generic manufacturers to produce their HIV medicines cheaply, specifically for developing countries. It asks them to put their patents into a ‘patent pool’ for this purpose.

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The Government's response to the Independent Review of the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV, July 2009

The Government published its response to the Independent Advisory Group’s review of the 2001 Sexual Health and HIV Strategy on 21 July 2009. The response outlines the progress made in improving sexual health since 2001 and responds to each of the national level recommendations

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APPG summer newsletter 2009

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World AIDS Day 2008

On World AIDS Day 2008 the APPG sent an open letter to newspapers urging the Government to focus on the numbers of people with HIV in the UK who do not know they are infected. The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Sir

There are more people than ever, over 77,000 living with HIV in the UK and there were also more new diagnoses in 2007 than ever before.

The latest Health Protection Agency figures show 28 percent of people living with HIV in the UK do not know it. If we want to prevent HIV properly we need ensure people know if they’re infected. This was a key conclusion of a recent meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS, which brought together HIV clinicians and experts from all over the country.

The level of undiagnosed HIV is a huge public health issue. Undiagnosed people are unaware of the specific risk to their sexual partners and so may not consistently use a condom; and since they are not on treatment, they are also likely to be more infectious. Treatment can reduce levels of infectiousness so that the chances of HIV transmission are minute. Diagnosis and provision of appropriate treatment will therefore dramatically reduce onward transmission.

Testing needs to be easy to access, not just in GUM clinics, but in GPs surgeries and in community settings accessible to high-risk populations. NHS London set itself a target to reduce late diagnosis – a measurable proxy for undiagnosed HIV. It is already driving up testing levels. The Government needs to encourage the NHS in other parts of the country to act similarly to tackle undiagnosed HIV. Knowledge is always said to be power. In the case of HIV infection, timely knowledge of your HIV status means life for you as you access life-saving treatment, and better public health for the country at large.

Yours sincerely

David Borrow MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on AIDS; Lord Norman Fowler Vice Chair of the APPG on AIDS; Hong Tan Director of London’s Sexual Health Programme; Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT; Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust; Neil Gerrard MP, Vice Chair APPG on AIDS; Sandra Gidley MP Vice Chair of the APPG on AIDS

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APPG Autumn newsletter 2008

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Review of Sex and Relationship Education in Schools, October 2008

Members of the APPG have been calling for a fundamental change in how the UK teaches sex and relationship education (SRE) in schools for some time. It was clear that current provision was inadequate. Levels of STIs amongst young people have been rising and there are concerns about a new complacency around safe sex. The APPG worked with the Sex Education Forum (www.ncb.org.uk/sef) and lobbied Ministers on the issue. Schools Minister, Jim Knight MP, set up an Independent Review Group to look at current provision of SRE and what could be done to improve it. The results of the Review are here.

The key recommendation in the Review was that that statutory status for PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) education is necessary to ensure that it is given the appropriate priority within schools. SRE would be part of the statutory PSHE curriculum. Other recommendations include steps to improve the confidence and skills of those delivering SRE, greater use by schools of external sources of support, improved guidance, and opportunities for input from young people into SRE programmes. The Government response agreed that PSHE should be made statutory. Our press release welcomes this important decision.

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Independent Review of the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV, July 2008

The Independent Advisory Group (IAG) on Sexual Health and HIV advises the Government on implementation of the National Strategy for Sexual health and HIV. In 2007, it undertook a review of the strategy, funded by the Department of Health.

The report highlights the changing context since the strategy's publication in 2001, outlines progress to date and identifies drivers and barriers to the strategy's implementation. It provides recommendations in five strategic priority areas for action at local, regional and national level.

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Achieving Universal Access: The UK's strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world (published 2nd June 2008)

The successor to DFID's 'Taking Action' AIDS strategy, Achieving Universal Access lays out the Government's approach to tackling HIV and securing universal access to prevention of HIV, and treatment, care and support for those infected or affected. It looks forward to 2015 and promises funding of £6bn over the time period to strengthen health systems and £1bn in funding for the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria. Click here for the copy of the strategy. The strategy has been controversial because it represents a departure from a disease specific approach. The APPG submitted evidence to the Select Committee Enquiry on the strategy (see 'HIV in Parliament') which highlighted some of the strengths of the strategy and the concerns we had about it. DFID has since produced a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the strategy.

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    Migration and HIV

In 2003, the Group held a Parliamentary Inquiry to look at the issue of Migration and HIV in the UK, focussing on how the Government could improve the lives of migrants with HIV. The report of the Inquiry, was published on 10 July 2003. A copy of the report, Migration and HIV Improving Lives, can be forwarded to you in PDF format and copies of the evidence transcripts in PDF format are also available from the Group. Email us to ask for copies at oakeshottv@parliament.uk .

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Human Rights

In 1998, the Group held a series of Parliamentary Hearings to consider what action the UK should take to address HIV/AIDS, and to make recommendations for a national strategy on HIV/AIDS.  A summary of its recommendations can be obtained from the Group in PDF format. Send us an email to request a copy from oakeshottv@parliament.uk

In July 2000, Department of Health announced that they were integrating their planned HIV/AIDS Strategy with a Sexual Health Strategy also in production. The National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV was published in July 2001 (for England). In February 2002, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on AIDS published its Response to the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV.