The Fiscal Dimension of HIV/AIDS in Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland, and Uganda
HIV/AIDS imposes enormous economic, social, health, and human costs and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The challenge is particularly acute in Sub-Saharan Africa, home to two-thirds (22.5 million) of the people living with HIV/AI...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Publication |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank
2012
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| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000333037_20111208235232 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2382 |
| Summary: | HIV/AIDS imposes enormous economic,
social, health, and human costs and will continue to do so
for the foreseeable future. The challenge is particularly
acute in Sub-Saharan Africa, home to two-thirds (22.5
million) of the people living with HIV/AIDS globally, and
where HIV/AIDS has become the leading cause of premature
death. But now, after decades of misery and frustration with
the disease, there are signs of hope. HIV prevalence rates
in Africa are stabilizing. This book sheds light on these
concerns by analyzing the fiscal implications of HIV/AIDS in
Southern Africa, the epicenter of the epidemic. It uses the
toolbox of public finance to assess the sustainability of
HIV/AIDS programs. Importantly, it highlights the long-term
nature of the fiscal commitments implied by HIV/AIDS
programs, and explicitly discusses the link between HIV
infections and the resulting commitments of fiscal
resources. The analysis shows that, absent adjustments to
policies, treatment is not sustainable. But it also shows
that, by accompanying treatment with prevention, and making
existing programs more cost-effective, these countries can
manage both treatment and fiscal sustainability. Even in
countries where HIV/AIDS-related spending is high or
increasing (as past infections translate into an increasing
demand for treatment), the fiscal space absorbed by the
costs of HIV/AIDS-related services will decline if progress
in containing and rolling back the number of new infections
can be sustained. The purpose of this study is to refine the
analysis of the fiscal burden of HIV/AIDS on national
governments and assess the fiscal risks associated with
scaling-up national HIV/AIDS responses. The study
complements and contributes to the agenda on identifying and
creating fiscal space for HIV/AIDS and other development
expenditures. The findings from this study, and the
analytical tools developed in it, could help governments in
defining policy objectives, improving fiscal planning, and
conducting their dialogue with donor agencies. |
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