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UK provides additional £5 million a year as part of its commitment to 'Getting to Zero' and achieving the UN’s vision of zero new HIV infections.

Rapid HIV testing in Zimbabwe. Picture: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

The UK is to continue its commitment to tackling HIV and AIDS, International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone announced today ahead of World Aids Day.

The Department for International Development is to provide an additional £5 million a year over the next 2 years to UNAIDS to help its work co-ordinating the global response to HIV and AIDS. This will take DFID’s total support for UNAIDS to £15 million a year.

Lynne Featherstone said:

“The UK government is committed to ‘Getting to Zero’ and achieving the UN’s vision of zero new HIV infections; zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination. Good progress has been made in reducing AIDS-related deaths and new HIV infections. However, there is still a long way to go before the disease is eliminated.

“Ensuring better integration of HIV within wider health systems, supporting key affected populations and making sure that women and girls are central to the HIV response are vital if we are to help people live longer healthier and more productive lives.”

The UK is committed to scaling up diagnosis, treatment, care and support for those suffering with HIV and AIDS and is supporting international efforts to get 15 million people on treatment by 2015.

DFID recently gave a conditional commitment to give up to £1 billion to The Global Fund to Fight Aids Malaria and TB over the next 3 years. Around 50% of this funding will go towards HIV and AIDS and include support for lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for 750,000 people living with HIV.

Notes to editors

1. World Aids Day (WAD) is on Sunday 1 December. ‘Getting to Zero’ is the theme.
2. DFID announced on 23 September that the UK was giving up to £1 billion to the Global Fund over the next 3 years so long as others join us in ensuring it meets its target of $15 billion and DFID’s contribution is no more than 10% of the total replenishment.
3. DFID published today a review of the UK’s 2011 position paper on HIV in the developing world “Towards Zero Infections-Two Years On”.