Country Commitments
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“The most important lesson learned from
countries that have successfully responded to the
epidemic has been the critical role of government and civil
society leadership in increasing the visibility of the epidemic
while decreasing the stigma associated with it.”
Kofi Annan
Secretary-General of the United Nations
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AIDS is on track to single-handedly wipe
out 50 years of development gains in the
most-affected countries. Development gains
are being rolled back as countries lose many
of their young and most productive people
to the epidemic, as poverty and inequality
deepen as a result of HIV/AIDS, and as
the costs of the epidemic mount.
- National budgets are losing tax revenue.
In Botswana, the Government is estimated
to lose 20 per cent of public revenue by
2010 due to the economic impact of
HIV/AIDS.
- Life expectancy in Zimbabwe is estimated
to be 26 years lower than it would have
been in the absence of AIDS. In Haiti,
life expectancy has dropped by six years
as a result of AIDS.
- AIDS will increase the percentage of people
living in extreme poverty from 45 per cent
in 2000 to 51 per cent in 2015 in Burkina
Faso, Rwanda and Uganda, according to
a recent study.
- A loss of 5 per cent in gross domestic product
by 2005 is anticipated in Jamaica and in
Trinidad and Tobago as a result of AIDS.
UNFPA and its partners are assisting countries
in urgent efforts to bring the epidemic
under control. Without immediate action,
more countries will be caught in a vicious
cycle as worsening socio-economic conditions
render them more vulnerable and derail
efforts to improve prevention, care and
treatment.
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