6 July 2009 | The Financial Crisis: The Impact on HIV Treatment and FXB's Response

The recent economic crisis has profoundly influenced global aid.  Despite gains in combating illness and poverty, access to health care and treatment in developing countries is threatened by diminishing funding sources.  Supplies of antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are particularly vulnerable to these shocks.  As drugs are becoming more expensive, households must allocate more of their disposable income to treatment.   Budget cuts in various healthcare systems have also made supplies of antiretrovirals less available to those most in need. A June 2009 UNAIDS survey of 71 countries indicated that treatment programs in 11% of countries have already been affected by the global crisis.

Compromised access to antiretroviral treatment presents a number of risks to HIV-positive children and adults.  Patients who interrupt their treatment regimens are at greater risk for AIDS-related illnesses and mortality.  In fact, most patients who abruptly terminate treatment die within one to two years.  Inconsistent treatment also increases the risk of drug resistance and may require the use of expensive second-line regimen drugs.  Around the world, the greatest challenge for community healthcare providers like FXB is maintaining consistent treatment access - and even increasing availability as more people are tested and found to be HIV-positive - despite the prohibitive economic climate.

In response to this precarious situation, FXB is allocating resources and increasing home visits to ensure that our beneficiaries can access treatment and other critical health services.  Because self-sufficient families will be better suited to endure fluctuating drug prices, FXB is working to bolster household incomes and savings.  With your continued support, FXB is committed to safeguarding treatment access and providing a secure foundation for HIV-positive patients and their families.