The global HIV/AIDS emergency is not over.

In the world today over 9 million people in need of urgent HIV treatment do not have access to this life-saving care, but only 1 in 3 have access to treatment.  In 2009, 2 million people died of AIDS and HIV-related diseases and close to 60% of those in need of treatment are still not getting it.

Over the last 10 years HIV/AIDS care and treatment has seen undeniable and impressive improvements. More affordable HIV drugs and massive international funding for HIV/AIDS care means that more than 4 million people around the world are alive today thanks to antiretrovirals (ARVs), an effective form of treatment that allows HIV patients to live a long and healthy life.

Less funding means widening HIV/AIDS treatment gap

Despite the progress in the roll-out and success of ARV treatment Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has observed a very worrying recent trend, where some international donors are now capping or even reducing their funding for HIV drugs and treatment programmes. This threatens to widen the HIV/AIDS treatment gap and means more people are at risk of dying before they get access to treatment.

During July, 2010 MSF launched HALFTIME! at the halfway mark of the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup, offering an alternative take on football to highlight the disastrous reversal in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Protesting against international donors backtracking in the fight against HIV/AIDS, HALFTIME! brought together people living with HIV from across Southern Africa to compete in a unique 5 -a-side football tournament Johannesburg, while similar football matches and events took place across the world.

In addition to the main event in Johannesburg, MSF also hosted several other HALFTIME! events in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and Malawi where football was used to get the HIV/AIDS funding message across.

HALFTIME! highlighted the determination and commitment of people on the frontlines of the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, while demonstrating the positive impact of ARVs when facing a disease that wipes out 2 million lives globally each year in the life-or-death match against HIV and AIDS.

Get back in the HIV/AIDS funding match

World leaders and international donors, who just a few years ago publicly committed to ensuring universal access to ARV treatment for those in need,  are now disengaging from direct HIV programme funding. They appear blind to the successes of ARV treatment over the last decade, the commitment and determination of people living with HIV to survive. They appear to have quit on the commitments to achieve universal access to ARV treatment for all those who need it.

To them MSF and people living with HIV and AIDS say: “Open your eyes! Stay in the HIV/AIDS funding match. This is NO TIME TO QUIT!”

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Learn more about the widening HIV/AIDS treatment gap