Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Miami Herald - December 1, 2005
A long-term drop in HIV and AIDS rates in Haiti, which has the hemisphere's worst infection rate, is an encouraging sign. The U.N. report (at www.unaids.org) credits education programs, new clinics and international donations for Haiti's turnaround. Other factors include: improved treatment for HIV-positive pregnant women in the Bahamas, voluntary work and more testing services in Barbados and condom use among prostitutes in Santo Domingo.
A 7.5-percent increase
Nonetheless, more than three million people worldwide died of AIDS-related causes and nearly five million were newly infected this year. Overall, a record 40.3 million people now live with HIV worldwide, a 7.5 percent increase since 2004.
As much as the international community and individual countries are doing to combat AIDS, more needs to be invested. In 2003, President Bush pledged $15 billion over five years to 15 of the most affected countries, 12 of them in Africa. The aid is well intentioned, but restrictive rules -- more than 50 percent of prevention funds must go to programs promoting abstinence, for example -- have limited the program's reach.
Nations can give more
The United States contributes proportionately less ($300 million) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Created by the United Nations in 2002, the fund now works in 128 countries and leverages U.S. donations with matching funds from other donors. The fund needs $7.1 billion to fund projects in 2006 and 2007. In September, donors pledged $3.7 billion. The international community, including the United States, can do better.
For 2006, the global fund needs $2.1 billion just to keep current programs running and up to $1 billion more to expand treatment and prevention programs, such as those working in the Caribbean.
President Bush has proposed a U.S. donation of $300 million to the global fund for next year. That's less than the one-third funding share that advocates suggest the United States should donate based on the U.S. share of global income. Fortunately, Congress has been more generous. It proposes $550 million for the fund in 2006. Congress should approve that amount, then add supplemental-emergency funding that can help contain the global AIDS threat.
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