THE TRUE COST OF AIDS

THE TRUE COST OF AIDS The Macroeconomics of HIV/AIDS Markus Haacker, ed. Washington DC: International Monetary Fund, 2004, 344 pages.

Like the first quarter of a mystery novel, the International Monetary Fund's The Macroeconomics of HIV/AIDS brings together expert witnesses to produce a composite description of a case that needs to be solved. Much of the investigation, the trapping of the pathogen, and the solution has been left for another volume. Instead, editor Marcus Haacker's new book is an indispensable HIV/AIDS almanac detailing exactly how the pandemic challenges societies and economies and how it stunts financial and health systems. Before international agencies and donors act to achieve the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for HIV/AIDS, they must discover how to pay for necessary measures. To know the costs and priorities, teams require assessments on the demographic, economic and financial realities in societies affected by HIV/AIDS. This is what the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided through this book.