Free by 5 declaration: AIDS treatment must be free for all patients
in developing world

Health experts, economists and policy makers join in appeal to donors:
AIDS TREATMENT MUST BE FREE FOR ALL PATIENTS IN DEVELOPING WORLD

Starting from Tuesday, 14th December 2004, an alliance of renowned
experts, institutions and non-governmental organisations launched
the `Free by 5' declaration and present it to the World Bank, aid
donors, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNAIDS and many other
parties.

While the WHO aims to have three million HIV-positive people
on Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment in the course of next year, the
declaration points out that ARVs and associated care need to be
provided free of charge to all patients in developing countries.

Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and signatory
of the declaration states: 'The push for access to Anti-Retroviral
treatment has greater momentum than ever before. For many it will mean
the difference, literally, between life and death. However, if it is
not free then the poor…will not benefit. This declaration clearly sets
out why treatment should be available free. It is deserving of our
support.'

Of the 5.5 million HIV-positive people in need of treatment globally
only 440,000 are receiving it. In Africa, not more than 4% of people
living with HIV/AIDS are on ARV treatment. Despite decreasing market
prices of the drugs, many people who have AIDS in developing countries
are dying because they cannot afford the user fees asked for
treatment. The declaration gives evidence that the payment required
(patient fees) excludes many patients, heightens people's
vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, as well as decreases treatment adherence,
which may lead to drug-resistance. From a medical, a public health, an
economic and a human rights perspective providing universal free
treatment to AIDS patients is a necessary and rational course of action.

Professor Alan Whiteside, Director of HEARD, summarises: "Levels of
poverty in most resource-poor settings are such that, unless treatment
is provided completely for free, people will be excluded. I believe
that it makes economic sense for public health services to offer free
HIV/AIDS treatment."

The "Free by 5" declaration, initiated by the Health Economics and
HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) of the University of KwaZulu-Natal,
rapidly gathered support from key actors and organisations all over
the world. To date nearly 600 people have signed in support. Among
them are many esteemed public health experts, economists and policy
makers including Stephen Lewis (UN Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS), Hélène
Rossert-Blavier (Director-General of AIDES, France and Vice President
of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria), and Gorik
Ooms (Executive Director of Médecins Sans Frontières in Belgium).

Gorik Ooms of Médecins Sans Frontières: `Patient fees often make it
impossible to reach those who need treatment most. The families that
are most affected by AIDS in many cases lose their income from labour
and can simply not afford to pay for treatment. Where AIDS care is
provided in clinics that are sponsored by international donors but
require patients to pay part of the cost, patients that can no longer
afford tests or drugs, will drop out.'

The declaration urges international donors to actively promote the
implementation of free treatment and to pledge additional resources to
make this a reality. It also presses WHO and UNAIDS to formally adopt
clear guidelines on the necessity of free ARV-treatment.

You can find the full text of the declaration, as well as the list of
signatories, on www.heard.org.za

Please contact Sabrina Lee at HEARD on +27 (0)31 260 2483 E-mail:
<freeby5@...> for further information.
_______________________
Sabrina Lee
"Free by 5"
<freeby5@...>