UNAIDS suggests new mechanisms for making AIDS money work

The UNAIDS governing board issued recommendations on Thursday to streamline the work of multilateral anti-AIDS organisations and strengthen the public health response of national bodies in developing countries.

Some of the suggestions include aligning external assistance to national strategies, policies, systems and cycles, more closely coordinating UNAIDS work at the country level, clarifying the division of labour among institutions, and increasing financing for technical support.

"We are at a critical stage in the AIDS response where 'making the money work' for countries is vital if we are going to get ahead of the epidemic. The agreement on the recommendations by the UNAIDS governing board is a major step forward and shows that everyone is fully committed to helping countries lighten the burden of AIDS," UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot noted.

According to UNAIDS, many developing countries have experienced serious difficulties in expanding their delivery of HIV/AIDS services and AIDS treatment to their communities.

Efforts to support these countries have been slowed by conflicting financing, programming, monitoring and evaluation processes, often imposed on them by donors and international organizations.