“Many middle-income countries are transitioning away from donor-funded health programs in a range of areas including immunization, maternal and child health, tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV. Unless these donor exits are managed well, they could imperil the sustainability of the remarkable gains that have been achieved over the past two decades in fighting killer infectious diseases and maternal and child health conditions.
Donor exits could particularly jeopardize gains in global HIV control. Countries and donors have spent more than $500 billion on HIV programs in low- and middle-income countries over the past two decades, but the gains from these investments are fragile. When donor funding for HIV programs ends, there is an especially acute risk of HIV re-emerging among “key populations”: vulnerable minority groups such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, transgender populations, and prisoners.
Too little attention has been paid to date to the needs of key populations during transition. This is a mistake. Unless departing donors and “graduating” countries address the risks that key populations face, these populations could suffer serious health setbacks, and the larger national achievements in fighting HIV/AIDS could easily be undermined or even reversed.”
Read the full, original post for the full perspective on the impact of transitioning on vulnerable populations.