5 February 2008
(Page 2 of 3)
Paul Davis , Health GAP (Global Access Project)
pdavis@healthgap.org +1 215.833.4102 (mobile)
Skype/AIM: pdavisx
February 2, 2008
Dear friends in the fight against global AIDS,
February 7th is a momentous event in the history of the fight against global AIDS. On that day, the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs will introduce and vote on the second five years of U.S. Efforts to fight global AIDS.
Right now, the draft bill contains $50 billion - a TWENTY BILLION INCREASE over what the outgoing President has requested. It sets some historic high water marks for commitment to support AIDS treatment and prevention, but also goes a long way to move from emergency to sustainability, with important new sections on health workforce, health systems, TB and malaria, coordination and integration, and very substantial new new support for women and girls and evidence-based prevention.
The excitement around this bill is also allowing several other very important and overdue initiatives that have not passed on their own to be attached to this bill, including much of the Microbicides Development Act and a repeal of the shameful U.S. travel ban against people with HIV.
[NOTE: endorsements must be received by 5 p.m. U.S. east coast time. Please send to 08.stop.aids@gmail.com]
THANK YOU!
Feb 7, 2008
Dear Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs,
We write as members of the worldwide movement of organizations concerned about AIDS and global health. We urge you to support passage of Chair's text of the U.S. Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 - a renewed and improved version of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
This bill continues and builds on the progress made by current U.S.
Global health initiatives, and affirms U.S. commitments made to achieve universal access to AIDS treatment, prevention and care, as well as meeting targets pledged against tuberculosis and malaria.
In addition to providing assistance for prevention of new HIV infections and treating and caring for people living with HIV/AIDS, the bill also aims to transition U.S. global AIDS programs from an emergency phase to a sustainable one. The bill increases flexibility in budget programming, Allows a more comprehensive approach to prevention including new activities to address the vulnerabilities of women and children, strengthening health systems by providing technical and financial support to countries to develop and implement health workforce plans and support for training and retaining necessary new health workers, supporting scientific research for new vaccines, microbicides and prevention technologies and strengthens coordination efforts across U.S.
agencies on HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria programs.
The bill establishes in legislation a U.S. malaria program, continuing and building upon the President's Malaria Initiative that has already contributed greatly to improvements in the fight to eradicate malaria. It also includes assistance for activities aiming to prevent and stop the spread of tuberculosis - a disease that knows no borders as witnessed by the MDR-TB case in the U.S.
last spring.
There is a continued need to scale up access to treatment and to get important new first and second line regimens to more of the people in clinical need. And to succeed sustainably, impoverished countries must be substantially supported significant increases the number of health workers trained -- and supported so they can do their jobs in their countries of origin. The bill also affirms the U.S. commitment to support the multilateral Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
To achieve the goals in prevention, treatment, care and to ensure a holistic approach to HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria and the health workforce necessary to keep U.S. commitments, a minimum of $50-to-$59 billion is needed over five years.
To demonstrate continued U.S. commitment to partners in the developing world and to show that Americans intend to sustain work against AIDS worldwide through increased investments and sound policies on global health, we urge that you support passage of this legislation with at least $50-$59 billion over five years, and all of the policies and improved program targets in the current draft bill.
[NOTE: some of these program targets may be added to the final text of this letter. See summary below.]
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Summary of Key Provisions in The U.S. Global HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008
Known as "The Global AIDS bill"
Purpose:
Establishes a comprehensive, integrated five-year global strategy to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Supports treatment for three million people with HIV, prevents 12 million new infections, care for 12 mn PWHIV
NEW pieces on TB, malaria, health workforce and health systems, microbicide development, AIDS-related nutrition, protections for women and youth
Policy Planning and Coordination:
--develops a five year comprehensive strategy to combat HIV/AIDS that includes:
A comprehensive, evidence-based approach to prevention
Specific linkages to food and nutrition, other basic health and development services
Include prevention and treatment services for injection drug users
Medical, social, and legal services for victims of violence
Research, including incentives for HIV vaccine development and new protocols
Greatly improves US interagency coordination across a spectrum of USG agencies for reviewing progress in host countries towards HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment objectives; identifying countries; reviewing policies that may be obstacles to reaching prevention, treatment and care goals; and coordinating with other U.S. foreign assistance particularly in the areas of health and development
Improves coordination with other donors and development partners at the country level, improves transparency and accountability
Global Fund:
Continues U.S. commitment to the Global Fund, including a contribution of $2 billion for 09 and '10, such sums as necessary thereafter.
Retains 33% contribution
Prevention:
Continues the ABC model aimed at prevention with strong emphasis on delay of sexual debut, abstinence, partner reduction, and life-skills programs, particularly for women and girls.
Eliminates the abstinence earmark and enhances abstinence as a part of the ABC strategy. Conscience clause is retained, so that no PEPFAR contractor is required to deliver condoms.
Eliminates the prostitution pledge and strengthens language on countering HIV/AIDS for victims of trafficking.
Also includes counseling and testing including counseling to prevention sexual transmission of HIV; education and outreach including MSM
Treatment:
Calls on addressing specific barriers to treatment services
Supporting one-third of the people with HIV/AIDS in clinical need and three million people
Access to psychosocial support systems
Calls for purchasing drugs at the lowest price available
Referral Systems/Coordination
Calls for integration and coordination within HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care and across global health and development programs
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