The world can learn a lot from the mistakes made in the fight against HIV in its response to COVID-19 Minister of Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir (sp.a) in an opinion on this World AIDS Day. ‘HIV taught that it is a myth to believe that there can be a compromise between human rights and health care. ‘
Hhe is the strength of that community that has contributed greatly to our victory over HIV over the past 20 years. The group of people receiving life-saving treatment today has never been larger.
But despite that progress, we must face the truth. When a new pandemic threatens the progress of our health and global development, we keep World AIDS Day.
In the past year, the HIV movement has mainly focused on reducing the corona virus and protecting people with HIV and other vulnerable groups. Activists and communities have once again shown leadership and creativity, delivering medicines to homes or at least providing safe shelter for those in need and providing financial assistance, food and shelter to at-risk groups.
Even before COVID-19 entered the scene, this world was not halfway to eradicating AIDS as a threat to public health by 2030. Worldwide we still had 690,000 AIDS-related deaths last year. 12.6 million of the 38 million people with HIV are still not receiving life-saving treatment.
In addition, the world is lagging far behind in preventing new HIV infections. In 2019 alone, around 1.7 million people were infected more than three times the 2020 target, so there is still work to be done.
Learning from mistakes in the fight against HIV
HIV taught that it is a myth to believe that there can be a compromise between human rights and health care.
The world can learn a lot in its response to COVID-19 from the mistakes made in the fight against HIV. That is why UNaids is a leading advocate for a ‘Vaccine-of-the-People’. Because global problems need global solidarity. Once safe vaccines are available, we will be faced with the following questions: for whom, when and at what cost?
That is why the international community must push to make vaccines available everywhere for free and to everyone.
Global and regional collaboration is needed to boost research and development capacity. We also need to strengthen local production to ensure that vaccines are produced in all regions and that no one is left behind. Health takes precedence over profit.
A second lesson for HIV is that of inequality and exclusion. We have seen how COVID-19 also hit the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. Now that everyone’s health is back at the top of the political agenda, we need to do better this time. And that can be, by putting human rights and the dignity of all people at the center of our health initiatives.
HIV taught that it is a myth to believe that there can be a compromise between human rights and health care. One without the other is impossible. Healthcare is a human right. Point.
Solidarity and shared responsibility
A fairer international structure for debt financing is therefore desperately needed if we want to give countries the fiscal scope to invest in renewed health facilities, which are accessible to everyone.
It’s time. More than time. Only global solidarity and shared responsibility will enable us to defeat viruses and ensure the right to health for all.
Meryame Kitir (sp.a) is the Federal Minister for Development Cooperation
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