World AIDS DAY 2008 - US AIDS Accountability Report Card Part 4

[Guest guest]

US AIDS Accountability Report Card

as reported by AIDS Accountability International Foundation, Sweden

http://aidsaccountability.org/wp-

content/uploads/2008/11/usa_final_ue.pdf

AIDS Accountability Country Profiles are initially provided for a

selection of 17 countries in order to give further commentary on

their performance according to the AIDS Accountability Country

Scorecard and the context in which the response takes place. For

further details about the data or the methodology, please see our

website

http://www.aidsaccountability.org/

AIDS Accountability International (AAI) was established to increase

accountability and inspire bolder leadership in the response to the

AIDS epidemic. We do this by rating and comparing the degree to which

public, private and civil society actors are fulfilling the formal

agreements they have made to respond to the epidemic.

USA

Facts USA

Region: North America and Western/Central Europe

Population: 303.8 million

HIV prevalence: 0.6% 15-49 years (UNAIDS)

Gross National Income: US$ 44,710 per capita (2006)

USA / AIDS ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL Pg 1

Copyright Notice

Copyright © 2007-2008. AIDS Accountability International Collective

Foundation, Sweden. AIDS Accountability International is the owner of

or controls all rights, including copyright, in the content of The

AIDS Accountability Country Scorecard Report. You are free to copy,

distribute and display this document. You must attribute the work to

AIDS Accountability International Foundation, Sweden, but not in any

way that suggests that the foundation endorses you or your use of the

work. You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work, and you

may not use the work for commercial purposes.

AIDS Accountability International

sbergsgatan 46

114 30 Stockholm

Sweden

Telephone: +46 (0)8 700 46 14

Email: info@...

Web: www.aidsaccountability.org

USA / AIDS ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL Pg 2

Country Profile: USA

Introduction

The US has a significant HIV epidemic. More than one million people

are currently living with HIV and more than 500,000 have died of AIDS

since the disease was first identified. Initially, HIV particularly

affected men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users

(IDUs), haemophiliacs (due to blood transfusions in early days of the

epidemic) and Haitians. However, more recently the virus has been

spreading increasingly through heterosexual contacts, particularly

among African Americans and Hispanics. The response to HIV in the US

has been highly controversial and has achieved mixed results. For

example, progress on PMTCT has been excellent but restrictions on

needle exchange programs, limiting prevention programs to `abstinence-

only' and mandatory HIV testing of immigrants, in the military and in

some prisons have all been strongly criticized. Progress on provision

of ART has been good but there is a marked difference between those

who have health insurance and those that do not.

What the scorecard reveals

The main problem with trying to apply this scorecard to the US is

that the country's reporting to UNGASS is extremely limited. In fact,

only two out of eight elements are able to receive scores. The low

score for element 1 is due to inadequate reporting on several on the

indicators. Only data on biological surveillance was submitted. Both

in 2006 and 2008, the reporting was very poor (E). In 2006, the US

only reported on condom use among MSM and, in 2008, only HIV

prevalence in the general population.

In 2008, the US did not report on coverage of prevention programs

among most-at-risk populations, its spending on its response to

HIV/AIDS, its approach to coordination of the response, the

environment created for civil society or human rights related to

HIV/AIDS.

In 2005, the US reported that ART coverage was 70% ( which is the

second score received.

USA's Score

Elements 2006 2008

1: Data Collection E E

2: Focus on most-at-risk populations No data

3: Treatment B B

4: Prevention No data No Data

5: Coordination No Data

6: Civil Society No Data

7: Financing No data

8: Human Rights Mainstreaming No Data

Explanation of scores: A= 81-100%, B= 61-80%, C=41-60%, D=21-40%, E=0-

20%

USA / AIDS ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL Pg 3

Reporting –How can USA improve?

USA scores an E on the AIDS Reporting Index, which reflects a very

poor level of reporting on the elements in the scorecard. The US has

failed to report on almost all of the 161 indicators used in the

scorecard as shown in the table below. Due to lack of a vast amount

of data, a conclusion regarding the response in the US cannot be

drawn from the scorecard. However, voices of critique in a shadow

report by Global Youth Coalition HIV/AIDS paints a bleak picture of

the response. Some of the issues brought up are lack of a formal AIDS

strategy, struggle to access ART for uninsured, strong focus on

abstinence-only as prevention method and laws prohibiting people with

HIV to entering the US. A failure to report does not always mean a

failure to respond to AIDS. However, a failure to report is a failure

to live up to a central principle of the Declaration of Commitment:

namely, the need for transparency and effective monitoring. Data

reporting is the precondition for monitoring and evaluating country

progress and holding governments accountable for their promises.

AIDS Reporting Index For USA = E overall for 2006 and 2008

The FIRST person to answer correctly WHICH country is the LEADING

country in AIDS accountability in 2006 and 2008 according to the

reports by AIDS Accountability International Foundation, Sweden and

also is considered the model for other developing countries to

follow, will recieve a free year's membership and subscription to the

AAPT newsletter (compliments of Jeanetta Mastron).

Deadline is midnight PST December 1, 2008, so be sure that your email

has the time, including time zone 'stamped' on it. All time zones

will be converted using a world time zone map of my choice. There

will be ONLY one winner. Award will be paid by Jeanetta Mastron

directly to AAPT in your name by January 31, 2009. If the winner is

currently an AAPT member, membership renewal will be paid by Jeanetta

Mastron either in advance or when due at her descretion. There will

be NO CASH award. Answer is located in one of the many links and the

pages posted on this site for World AIDS Day 2008. Winner will be

announced on this site. IF there is no one correct or no one answers

this call at all, no membership or money will be awarded to

anyone.

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Pharm Tech Educator

[Guest guest]

Additionally, the source of information must be cited and quoted.

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Pharm Tech Educator