Call to Ana Mato ensure the response to the AIDS in Spain.

– requested sustained financial commitment and political leadership in the long run by ensuring the existence, continuity and sustainability of the Secretary of the National Plan on HIV/AIDS (SPNS)

Spain, January 2012.- what happen if the new Government to slash or nullify its economic engagement with the national AIDS response? or no longer have political will to lead responsibilities acquired by the Spanish Government at the international level? The Spanish AIDS organizations have clear response: would risk obtained advances during three decades in areas such as prevention, early detection of new cases and care to people living with HIV still faced daily discrimination by the stigma associated with their illness.

Thus manifest it hundreds of organizations and Spanish institutions in a letter to Ana Mato Adrover, Minister of health, social services and equality which require economic sustained commitment by the Government and political leadership through the existence of the Secretary of the National Plan on AIDS (SPNS) that, according to leaked press in recent days, seems to ” that is not already included in the new scheme of the Ministry of health.

Udiárraga García, President of the State Coordinating Committee of VIH-sida (CESIDA), warns that a lead agency in the national response to HIV as the SPNS and the consequent development of a new Mutisectoral Plan that describes clearly the guidelines to follow during the next few years is necessary. Furthermore argues that the development of the plan is a commitment made by our country in the recent meeting of UNGASS in New York during the month of June of last year ”.

For its part, Julio Gómez Caballero, President of the community network on HIV/AIDS in the State Spanish (REDVIH) says that currently, thanks to biomedical developments, political and civic organizations, among other public and private actors, has made progress in response to the HIV epidemic. However – States – still remain many challenges in the clinical approach, care, prevention of new cases and there is a pending issue: every day are violated the rights of people with HIV. We are at a crucial moment which is why we ask the Minister and his team continue betting to eradicate the pandemic and the discrimination against people living with HIV through respect for fundamental rights ”, emphasizes Julio Gómez.

It also calls in the letter that the Spanish Government complies with international and European agreements to eradicate HIV pandemic, respond, and improve the quality of life of people with HIV. Spain has engaged for years in the global response to HIV and must comply with because the lives of millions of people is at stake ” says Toni Poveda, President of the Federación Estatal de lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual (FELGTB). Commitment to redouble our efforts and meet the financing needs for HIV through national and international economic responsibility. If aim is to intensify the efforts aimed at the prevention and control of HIV, would not be very logical that, taking as an argument the economic crisis, occurred cuts – national, regional or local-for the prevention, control and approach of HIV ” says Poveda.

Organizations applying for social dialogue, shared leadership and the recognition of the added value of civil organisations, as well as a meeting with the Minister in coming days. Consider that before the response to el HIV not must exist decisions unilateral from el Government, because is has demonstrated that the participation active of the society civil, NGO and activists, his experience, commitment, trajectory, capacity of response and participation in el design, execution and evaluation of those projects., they have allowed progress that could not be without its participation ”, finds Ana Pastor, President of FUNSIDA.