Last November marked the 30e anniversary of one of the most publicized and certainly one of the most defining press conferences in the history of popular culture. Magic Johnson, an icon of basketball and the Los Angeles Lakers, announced that he was HIV positive.
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The news caused shock waves. Magic was in her prime, but no longer seemed invincible. The virus had entered the national basketball league and it had a new face. Alongside David Stern, then commissioner of the NBA, Magic Johnson then became an advocate for HIV/AIDS education, prevention and research.
Also in 1991, the inverted V-shaped red ribbon made its Tony Award debut. Since then, this symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness and support for those affected by the disease has become ubiquitous on the dresses and lapels of celebrities walking the red carpets under the Hollywood sun.
Over the past 30 years, great progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The number of infections has decreased and infected people can live longer thanks to medication.
The fight against HIV is certainly one of the great successes of this century. She is also an example of the power of collaboration, as doctors, scientists, healthcare workers, donors, activists and governments have come together to fight this preventable disease.
Despite the giant strides that have been made, HIV/AIDS is still present.
And it’s a disease serious enough that leaders from around the world are gathering next week in Montreal, when the city hosts the 24e edition of the International AIDS Conference, from July 29 to August 2. On its website, we can read that the time has come to re-engage and follow the science. That’s the case to say !
Admittedly, the progress made has been considerable, but it remains fragile. More than a third of the 38 million people living with HIV today do not have access to antiretrovirals, although the cost of a year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for one person has fallen from $10,000 to less than $66 – an all-time high.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has been a key agent of health change for generations. Its mission is to defeat three of the world’s most preventable diseases, including HIV. Governments, the private sector and NGOs commit to invest in support of the Fund’s three-year cycles. This commitment has been effective.
Health programs supported by the Global Fund partnership have saved 44 million lives and AIDS-related deaths have fallen by almost 55%. And because the numbers are important, here are some more.
$18 billion is needed for this year’s replenishment to ensure the Global Fund stays on track and progress continues.
The United States has pledged $6 billion, but other donors will also have to increase their contributions ($1 for every $2) if they want to maximize US matching funding. If Canada fails to contribute $1.2 billion (its fair share), money will be left on the table. It is a waste that would cost human lives.
It is not enough that our country always wishes to project an image of benevolence. It must support it with concrete actions, often measured by our fair share of global investment.
Science has given us the tools to finally defeat HIV and years of progress have given us the knowledge and skills to direct resources where they are needed most.
Don’t we owe it to all those who have enabled us to get here to continue the fight and to fund it properly?
Most people with HIV are on the African continent – we should be concerned about that, however. On the contrary. It is essential to continue to support efforts in the eradication and treatment of HIV and AIDS, even if the red ribbon is no longer the fashionable accessory as it once was, because the disease, alas, is still very much present. .
But Canada can act to restore the red ribbon to its former status. Let’s go beyond the image of benevolence in the fight against HIV and AIDS and take concrete action to be a true leader in the field.