Over the past 10 yrs approx. 20 billion dollars of international community money has been spent on HIV/AIDS - e.g., approx. 2 billion USD by The World Bank alone. What performance grade would you give for the effectiveness of the investment decisions?

With the wisdom of hindsight, 3 x 5 was probably an expensive mistake. The health gains opportunity cost as entire national health systems were distracted from other critical tasks to implement 3 x 5 is inestimable

I gave a D because of the US control over methodologies, approaches and the general lack of tackling the problem head-on - as issues of power (or lack of), and greed (chasing large sums of money).

A lot of the money from the international community has been ear-marked for the so-called 'upstream' activities, piping in money to institutions and governments for institutional strengthening without necessarily focusing on the communities -- where the impact of HIV & AIDS is realised and felt the most.

awareness has inprove than it was before.

I scored it a 'B' because I think good steps have been taken to bring the pandemic under control, though a lot more still remains to be done. For example - educating the society on the dangers of risky sexual behaviour is necessary and these efforts should be stepped up. I also believe harmful cultural practices such as female circumcision should be abolished while male circumcision should be done in a sanitary, safe and hygienic manner, with one knife per individual. More funds/support should be given to home-based care programs since these work to improve the quality of life of PLWHA.

THere is still a lack of coordination and duplication of the efforts

also, giving a money without capacity building makes the activities planned and undertaken 

longer and even sometimes not as efficient as anticipated. For example, training of HIV/AIDS specialists in ARV treatment

 

I question why all of a sudden the emphasis is on Africa and AIDS.

AIDS awareness should have occurred at the first outbreak.  Why all of a sudden everybody wants to help the people of Africa.  Must be alternative reasons.

Why do you have to have conferences.  Just take care of the matter.

What about the people of color of America that are living under the Goverance of the United States? 

The Earth is in dire straits because of the unconsciousness of the citizens of the Earth. 

When you are dealing with money then you deal with specific issues.  When you are considering Life then you deal with all issues - no matter who - no matter what color - no mater what age - no matter what gender - no matter what culture.

Again, I say, what is the true reason?  It shouldn't take years for people to help people!

we are addressing the actual roots of the problem i.e. unacceptable or risky life style e.g. promiscuity, and high stresses leading to drug taking etc. syed tsh, malaysia.

I think great investment for support issues of development community

The Honourable Stephen Lewis should have funding to promote education to those in authority to distribute the Billions that have been spent on Programs Re: HIV AIDS.

alot of money has ended up in greedy hands and derailing the whole process.many have then lost lives that could be saved for the development of our countries.we need to step up mechanism to ensure that this funding is well received and handled and should be spread worldwide.

The creation of an "HIV/AIDS" industry with its own UN agency was, in retrospect, a big mistake. The monies used to create UNAIDS should have been invested in re-vamping WHO and ensuring that HIV infection found its place in that agency's priorities.

I gave a 'C' grade: I would question where the majority of that money has gone. For example, was it wasted on expensive subsidies to large drug companies, or did it go to improving the lives of people most at risk: those living in impoverished conditions with the illness. I think improving the nutrition and overall living conditions of the sick helps them and their surviving family members more than providing expensive experimental drugs to them. Especially since, the drugs are not effective unless the victim is eating well.

Editorial Note: the comments below relate to the closed poll Do you think too much money is spent on specific AIDS issues at the cost of positive action on the main social factors that drive the epidemic? The comments above related to the current poll. Please see the results [1] of the closed poll.

Poverty is one of the major issues contributing to spread of HIV/AIDs.

With enough money it is eassier to do peer education and engage in other awareness activities.

The below comments refer to this closed poll question: HIV/AIDS success has been very difficult to achieve. From which comparatively successful change strategy should HIV/AIDS action learn? See the results [2].

Tobacco control includes behavior change, peer pressure and regulatory measures effectively implemented. This package worked well for the scaling-up, but a similar strategy will fall short in the context of concentrated epidemic.

It is obvious that business growth strategies are most successful if we see our world today as compare to other societal movements!