‘€œ2010 is meant to be the year when we achieve universal access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) as set out in the Millennium Development Goals. But across Africa less than half of people in need of ART are accessing it. Despite this, the United States and Europe are retreating on their commitments to support HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and care. Their failure to honour these commitments will result in millions of avoidable deaths across sub-Saharan Africa,’€ the activists said.

The group which includes the Treatment Action Campaign, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), SECTION27, the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition and the World Aids Campaign marched on the US Consulate in Johannesburg and submited a memorandum protesting the funding cut-backs for antiretroviral treatment across Africa.

Activists said it was hoped that deputy US president, Joe Biden, who is in South Africa for the World Cup, would relay their message to President Barack Obama.

According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 9,7 million people are in need of treatment and only 4 million have access. Universal access could provide treatment for close to 6,7 million people and prevent 2,6 million new infections. Globally, 7 400 people are infected with HIV daily.

Activists said it was tragic that under Obama’€™s leadership the President’€™s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was cutting support of ARVs and flat-lining funding for HIV.

‘€œThe anti-treatment policies of the Obama administration betray the promises made during his election campaign to increase support for PEPFAR. Further, the anti-treatment policies can only be seen as anti-Africa policies – a betrayal of the hope of Africans in his election as President of the United States. It is ironic that the right-wing Bush delivered more on AIDS than Obama,’€ the activists said.

They reminded Obama that HIV continued to be an emergency for Africa since it was the leading cause of maternal and infant mortality. They pointed out that the lack of access to drugs fuelled the tuberculosis (TB) and drug resistant TB epidemics.

They called for Obama to reverse funding cuts for HIV and ensure that PEPFAR continued to expand funding to meet universal access targets. They also called for the US and Europe to boost the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria in order to meet universal access.

Other issues they raised included the increase of only 2,3% in funding from 2009 to 2010. They argued that a further 2,3% increase was requested for 2011, an amount equal to US inflation and much lower than the inflation of many poor countries.

President Jacob Zuma and the Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoledi were also advised to fully represent the continent’€™s needs during this year’€™s global forums on the Millennium   Development Goals (MDGs) and to lead the developing countries in echoing calls for expanded and sustained funding for HIV.

Sharon Hudson-Dean, spokesperson for the US embassy said the US remained committed to funding treatment provision in developing communities. In a statement she said Obama had requested an increase to PEPFAR in his 2010 and 2011 budgets.

The number of people directly supported on treatment increased in 2009 from approximately 1,6 million to nearly 2,5 million, she said.

Hudson-Dean said the number of those on treatment would continue to rise as the programme reached its programmes fixed goals of treatment  for more than 4 million people.

 She said PEPFAR funding in SA increased yearly since the programme started in 2004.

‘€œThe budget for 2009 is $551 million and the budget for 2010 is $564 million with an additional $120 million for ARVs in 2009/2010,’€ she said.

Hudson-Dean said that treatment alone would not end the epidemic but reducing the number of those infected was key.

‘€œThe US is committed to support the South African government’€™s enhanced HIV prevention strategy and to align our programs with the South African response, engaging multiple civil society stakeholders in the process,’€ she said.

Click to read the memorandum from activists: