Ending the Aids epidemic is a battle Asia can win

This century opened with the Aids epidemic at its peak. Now, 15 years later, new HIV infections are down significantly worldwide, while access to treatment has cut the number of Aids-related deaths by more than a third. These achievements are no accident.

In 2000, governments committed to the Millennium Development Goals, which addressed the greatest challenges of our time, including halting and starting to reverse the spread of HIV. The progress since then fulfils a promise and proves that strong leadership and sustained engagement deliver results.

Still, much more remains to be done. This year, the international community will need to again show bold action in charting a path forward on HIV. In September, as the deadline for achieving the millennium goals approaches, governments will decide on a new set of sustainable development goals.

To help define the future of the HIV response, governments across the Asia-Pacific region, together with civil society and other partners, are gathering in Bangkok this week at a major regional meeting.

Since HIV first emerged, the region has been a leader in demonstrating political commitment and investing resources to address the epidemic. Initiatives like Thailand's programme to promote safer sex have been widely replicated. However, if the region is to continue to be a pioneer, governments must urgently confront several challenges head-on.

Perhaps the biggest is ensuring sustainable financing for HIV programmes. More than US$2 billion has been mobilised for Asia and the Pacific, but international donors account for nearly 40 per cent of the funding. This is not sustainable.

Clearly there is scope for greater domestic spending, given the region's economic dynamism. China is an example of what is possible. Between 2006 and 2013, it increased spending on HIV programmes seven times. Now, China has made the transition to full self-reliance, even in the face of one of the most serious Aids epidemics in the region.