Universal access
There are a number of factors that are changing the current environment and increasing interest in NACs. Since the identification of the Three Ones Principles, the environment in which NACs operate has become increasingly complex and challenging. This is especially true for high prevalence countries, in particular in Sub Saharan Africa. In 2006, through the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS, governments committed themselves to a new global objective: moving towards the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. Accordingly, UNAIDS is supporting countries to revise national AIDS plans and targets to scale up HIV responses.
Universal Access and scaling up processes have placed increasing demands on NACs to deliver on their mandate, including coordination. The importance of partnerships for HIV/AIDS-related action is ever increasing. At the same time access to financial, and other, resources continue to grow together with the diversity of funding mechanisms. To date the Global Fund alone has committed US$ 7 billion in 136 countries.
While extremely positive for national responses, this does increase the scope of work required to ensure effective use of aid and domestic resources for HIV/AIDS. The increased demands on NACs, and their central position in the national response, means that clarity in roles and relationships, and enabling political, legislative, policy and institutional environments, assume new importance. Buse et al (2006) discuss how the implementation of the Three Ones Principles, including one national AIDS coordinating authority, is required for effective scaling up processes. Challenges to implementation processes are introduced.
In the future the set up, mandate and organisational structures of NACs may need to be more flexible and adaptable given local contexts, the increasingly complex aid environment and evolving HIV responses.
Universal Access and scaling up processes have placed increasing demands on NACs to deliver on their mandate, including coordination. The importance of partnerships for HIV/AIDS-related action is ever increasing. At the same time access to financial, and other, resources continue to grow together with the diversity of funding mechanisms. To date the Global Fund alone has committed US$ 7 billion in 136 countries.
While extremely positive for national responses, this does increase the scope of work required to ensure effective use of aid and domestic resources for HIV/AIDS. The increased demands on NACs, and their central position in the national response, means that clarity in roles and relationships, and enabling political, legislative, policy and institutional environments, assume new importance. Buse et al (2006) discuss how the implementation of the Three Ones Principles, including one national AIDS coordinating authority, is required for effective scaling up processes. Challenges to implementation processes are introduced.
In the future the set up, mandate and organisational structures of NACs may need to be more flexible and adaptable given local contexts, the increasingly complex aid environment and evolving HIV responses.
