HIV/AIDS. (Hansard, 10 July 2002)

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the developing countries which are in receipt of support form her Department to assist in the treatment of prevention from HIV/AIDS. [68325]

§ Clare Short
My Department is supporting HIV/AIDS-related programmes in:

Azerbaijan, Republic of

Bangladesh

Bolivia

Botswana

Brazil

Burkina Faso

Burma

Cambodia

Caribbean regional

Central Africa regional

Central America regional

Chile

China

Colombia

Cuba

Ecuador

Ethiopia

Gambia, the,

Ghana

Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras

India

Iran

Kazakhstan, Republic of

Kenya

Latin America regional

Lesotho

Liberia

Madagascar

Mali

Malawi

Mexico

Mongolia

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Montserrat

Mozambique

Namibia

Nepal

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Pakistan

Peru

Philippines

Russian Federation

Rwanda

Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro

Sierra Leone

Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa, Republic of

Southern Africa regional

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Swaziland

Tanzania

Togo

Uganda

Ukraine

Vietnam

West Bank and Gaza

Zambia

Zimbabwe.

§ John Barrett
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to help bring down the cost of anti-retroviral drugs for those suffering from HIV/AIDS in developing countries. [68324]

§ Clare Short
The UK's Working Group on Access to Medicines, which I chair, is looking at options for bringing about widespread, sustainable and predictable differential pricing of essential medicines, so that such medicines can be made available to the world's poor at affordable prices. The group's final meeting is on 25 July, after which it will report back to the Prime Minister. Differential pricing could apply to anti-retrovirals, which Gambia the are now on the World Health Organisation's (WHO) essential drug list. We are encouraging key partners pharmaceutical industry, developing countries, donors and international organisations—to play their part in making widespread differential pricing a reality.
The Government recognise that affordability is only one of four key factors that WHO has identified as influencing access to medicines. There is also a need for sustainable financing, the rational selection and use of existing drugs, and reliable health and supply systems.
On sustainable financing, we have pledged %200 million over five years to the Global Fund to Fight TB, AIDS and Malaria (GFATM). We have also committed over £ 1 billion, since 1997, to strengthening developing countries health systems, building their capacity both to deliver medicines to the poor and to make effective choices about the selection and use of drugs.
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§ Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures her Department is taking to(a) help with humanitarian aid and(b)educate people in areas with a high risk of AIDS. [67797]

§ Clare Short
The purpose of DFID humanitarian assistance policy is to save lives and relieve suffering; hasten recovery, and protect and rebuild livelihoods and communities; and reduce risks and vulnerability to future crises. The poor, and those whose vulnerability is increased due to disease, such as HIV/AIDS, are disproportionately affected by disasters and conflict. For example, in southern Africa, a serious drought has led to food shortages, which have stretched the coping capacity of the poorest families, many of whom are already suffering from having one or more of their family with HIV/AIDS. I have recently allocated £45 million to support the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho and Swaziland.
My Department supports comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention programmes tailored to local needs and situations. These can include interventions such as condoms, harm reduction, educating youth and safe needle exchange programmes. As part of DFID's HIV/ AIDS strategy, we have identified a focus on working with the most vulnerable groups in the society, which often include women, commercial sex workers, injecting drug users and men who have sex with men. Education leading to behavioural change is a central element of our strategy towards fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It forms the basis for any prevention, treatment and intervention programme.