THE Global Fund has committed to continue providing antiretroviral medication for another six years for Persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), according to the Ministry of Health.

A number of PLHIVs in Jamaica and other developing countries had expressed concerns about their ability to access the drug at the end of Global Fund’s five-year funding, which see them receiving the medication at a minimal cost or free of cost.

Prior to Jamaica receiving US$23 million from the Global Fund in 2003, persons with HIV/AIDS had to pay up to $30,000 for a month’s supply of the drug. Today these persons are only required to pay $1,000 for the drug, but can receive it free of cost if they are unable to pay.

“The Global Fund, in committing to be around to support PLHIV, has developed a new approach for funding whereby if you perform well and maintain an ‘A’ rating throughout the grant you will automatically be offered a six-year extension and we have,” said Dr Kevin Harvey, co-ordinator of treatment care and support at the Ministry of Health.

However, Dr Harvey said they have made allocation in the next proposal, for the drug to be provided free of cost to all.

Harvey was addressing PLHIVs and major stakeholders at the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) and the Latin America and the Caribbean Council of AIDS Service Organisation (LACASSO) breakfast meeting at Eden Garden Restaurant in Kingston.

Dr Harvey said the ministry was, in the meantime, awaiting the approval of its latest proposal to Global Fund where some US$44 million was requested to continue the fight against the deadly disease.

Of the 175 proposals received worldwide for Global Fund support, 72 have been recommended for funding. However, Jamaica will have to wait until November when the board and the technical review panel meet to know if they are approved.

“I would be very disappointed and surprised if we were not one of the persons selected,” said Dr Harvey.

Under the last proposal which lasted five years, Jamaica was awarded US$23 million which assisted in providing medication for 3,500 of the 5,000 persons who needed it.

Today, he said, it is estimated that between 7,000 to 8,000 persons need to be put on ARV medication.

“The task, however, is to provide universal access to treatment care and support and that is why we need to get the proposal for US$44 million approved so we can scale up and try and provide medication to at least 80-90 per cent of who need to be on it,” he said.

Dr Harvey said, too, that providing persons with ARV was very critical as it was assisting PLHIVs to live longer, more meaningful lives .

“We have seen in children over a 40 per cent decrease in death rates from AIDS and a 36 per cent reduction in adults,” he said.