Gavin Strang MP leads Westminster debate on HIV/AIDS in developing countries
March 19th, 2008This post was written by Ali Mehlsak. You can read more posts by: Ali Mehlsak or more posts in Campaign News
On March 11th over 60 student campaigners joined the Stop AIDS Campaign Parliamentary Day of Action and descended on London to lobby their MPs about HIV in the developing world. One such MP made a major move yesterday in focussing the government’s attention on this important issue. Acting upon a strong relationship with the students of his constituency that met with him recently, Gavin Strang MP (Edinbugh East, Lab.) led a Westminster Hall debate on HIV/AIDS in developing countries, probing for answers to important questions from the Under-Secretary of State for International Development, Shahid Malik MP.
Though some important questions Strang proposed remained unanswered at the end of the session, there were still significant topics brought to the attention of the Government. Unresolved still are the details on what the Government is doing to support TRIPS flexibilities and crucially whether the government is willing to pay its fair share of funding for Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care - £2.5 billion over 3 years. Malik also failed to comment on the Government’s position on how to reduce barriers to access of treatment in developing countries.
However, Malik did reconfirm the Government’s commitment to the promise of Universal Access by 2010, as well as outlining several important areas of the government’s current spending in relation to HIV/AIDS in developing countries.
For more information and to read the full transcript of the debate, click here.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:12 am
On 19th March Nigel Griffiths Labour MP for Edinburgh South added his voice to the growing numbers of MPs attempting to hold the government to account on delivering Universal Access. He asked a series of questions about the government’s plans to deliver Universal Access particularly in relation to the G8 and spending commitments. To see the questions raised and the answers given by Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department for International Development visit:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-03-19a.194302.h&s=HIV+AIDS#g194302.r0
Although there aren’t many specific details given it is reassuring to see the government reaffirming their commitment to Universal Access and to paying their fair share of providing this:
‘The UK is committed to the goal of universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention services (including to prevent mother-to-child infection), treatment (including paediatric AIDS treatment), care and support. We are equally committed to paying our fair share and we expect partners to do the same.’ - Gareth Thomas