Kaisernetwork.org (Washington, DC)
1 December 2008
Global Challenges
Advocates Highlight Challenges, Urge Governments To Sustain Support for HIV/AIDS on World AIDS Day
[Dec 01, 2008]
On the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, advocates worldwide discussed numerous challenges facing HIV prevention efforts and called on governments to follow through on pledges to support HIV/AIDS care, prevention and treatment, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. The organizers of World AIDS Day 2008 -- which focuses on the themes of leadership, self-responsibility and advocacy -- said that many people in developing countries still lack access to affordable and effective HIV/AIDS treatment and that people who are resistant to first-line drugs require even more costly medications. "We have effective treatments," Jean-Francois Delfraissy, head of the French National Research Agency on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis, said, adding, "We have no other choice than to offer [drugs] to all those who need them" (Courcol, AFP/Yahoo! News, 11/29).
In addition, the International AIDS Society ahead of World AIDS Day called on the Group of Eight industrialized nations to sustain its commitment to providing universal access to antiretroviral treatment by 2010. IAS said the G8 had pledged $22.2 billion for global HIV programs between 2008 and 2010, which is 36% of the UNAIDS-estimated $61 billion needed for HIV/AIDS efforts during this time period. According to AFP/Google.com, three million people had access to antiretrovirals by the end of 2007, but this number is still two-thirds short of the target of achieving universal access by 2010 (AFP/Google.com, 11/28).
UNAIDS Releases Report Ahead of World AIDS Day
In related news, UNAIDS on Friday released a report that offers perspectives on how and why current HIV transmissions are occurring. The report recommends that countries expand efforts to address HIV/AIDS by adopting flexible prevention policies that combine numerous approaches. The report also recommends targeting the highest-risk populations, such as injection drug users and men who have sex with men. Karen Stanecki, senior advisor for UNAIDS, said the "message" of the report "is that countries need to tailor their prevention programs to the epidemics in their own specific countries." Stanecki added that UNAIDS recommends "a combination-prevention process" because "one prevention program isn't going to do it all" (Bryant, VOA News, 11/28)
During a Friday press briefing on the report, Peter Piot, outgoing UNAIDS executive director, said an improved understanding about the history and current challenges of HIV/AIDS could "help prevent the next 1,000 infections in each community." He added that it could "make money for [HIV/AIDS] work more effectively and help put forward a long-term and sustainable [HIV/AIDS] response." Piot said there is "no single magic bullet for HIV prevention," adding that health officials "can choose wisely from the known prevention options available so that they can reinforce and complement each other." Paul De Lay -- UNAIDS director of evidence, monitoring and policy -- said that "combination prevention" strategies can include behavioral, biomedical and structural approaches to HIV/AIDS treatment. Behavioral approaches could include the promotion of condom use and discouragement of multiple sexual partners, and biomedical approaches could include male circumcision or antiretroviral treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. "The epidemic is constantly changing," De Lay said, adding that HIV incidence must be analyzed "at regular intervals" (AFP/Google.com, 11/28).
The report is available online (.pdf).
De Lay Urges Governments To Sustain HIV/AIDS Funding
Global HIV prevalence could increase if governments and international aid organizations reduce funding for HIV prevention programs because of the current economic situation, De Lay said. According to De Lay, governments must sustain funding levels or there could be a "resurgence" in HIV cases during the next four or five years, "and we won't be able to scale up the treatment that is clearly going to be needed." Although treatment programs currently reach almost four million HIV-positive people, 9.7 million people are still in need of antiretroviral medications, De Lay said.
According to De Lay, antiretroviral medication is becoming less expensive and easier to take. He added that integrase inhibitors -- a new class of drugs that includes Merck's antiretroviral Isentress -- "will continue to improve patients' response and make it easier and easier to take the drug regimens." De Lay said that clinical trials for integrase inhibitors will examine how the drugs function in combination drug regimens and reduce the number of pills needed. The new drug regimens could be rolled in "probably about a year to two years," De Lay said (Nebehay, Reuters, 11/28).
PEPFAR Meets Target of Treating 2M HIV-Positive People, Official Says
President Bush on Monday is expected to announce that the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has met its target of treating two million HIV-positive people by the end of the year, White House spokesperson Dana Perino said in a statement, AFP/Google.com reports. According to Perino, PEPFAR by Sept. 30 had supported the provision of antiretrovirals for more than 2.1 million people living with HIV, including more than two million people in sub-Saharan Africa. She added that about 9.7 million HIV-positive people -- including almost four million children -- in the 15 countries targeted by PEPFAR had received "compassionate care" by that date. In addition, PEPFAR has helped prevent MTCT for almost 240,000 infants, Perino said.
Perino said that PEPFAR is "the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease," adding that about 50,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to antiretroviral medication before Bush launched PEPFAR in 2003. Bush in July 2008 signed legislation that reauthorized PEPFAR at $48 billion. According to AFP/Google.com, Bush and first lady Laura Bush on Monday plan to join the Rev. Rick Warren in a forum discussing the fight against HIV/AIDS AFP/Google.com, 11/30).
French First Lady Bruni-Sarkozy Named Global Fund Ambassador
French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy on Monday will be named the first ambassador for the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and said that she plans to use the position to promote awareness of MTCT. Bruni-Sarkozy, whose brother died of AIDS-related causes in 2006, said she is "very sensitive to the issue of [HIV/AIDS]" and plans to "put all of the media coverage" directed towards her "to the service of a useful cause." She added that she will make herself "available to all those who are working on the ground" with the Global Fund and would like to "communicate directly" with women and children affected by the disease. Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund, said Bruni-Sarkozy will be a powerful "advocate" for preventing MTCT by raising awareness on the need for more programs and additional information for pregnant women (Landry, AFP/Tocqueville Connection, 11/30).
Some Experts Question Funding Levels for HIV/AIDS Programs
Some health experts are "growing more outspoken" in their argument that global efforts against HIV/AIDS have expended significant resources and funding while other health needs are not being met, the AP/Arizona Daily Star reports. Jeremy Shiffman, who studies health spending at Syracuse University, said HIV/AIDS is "a terrible humanitarian tragedy, but it's just one of many terrible humanitarian tragedies." Roger England of Health Systems Workshop said in an article published earlier this year that the "global HIV industry is too big and out of control," adding that he believes UNAIDS should be disbanded. According to England, eliminating UNAIDS would allow $200 million to be spent on other health challenges, such as pneumonia. The Global Health Council reports that HIV/AIDS programs account for 80% of U.S. funding for health and population issues.
De Lay said that although it is valid to question health spending priorities, progress in treating HIV/AIDS is recent and the disease is not yet under control. "To suddenly pull the rug out from underneath" the fight against HIV/AIDS "would be disastrous," De Lay said. In addition, many advocates argue that funding for HIV/AIDS helps strengthen health systems by providing basic services. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, said, "We cannot afford, in this time of crisis, to squander our investments" (Cheng, AP/Arizona Daily Star, 12/1).
Reports, Initiatives
The Kaiser Family Foundation on Wednesday announced several new media productions developed in coordination with partner organizations.
BET: As part of BET and the Kaiser Family Foundation's Rap-It-Up partnership, BET will air a television show titled "Are You Positive?" confronting the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS in the black community.
MTV: As part of MTV's ongoing campaign with the Kaiser Family Foundation titled "It's Your (Sex) Life," MTV will dedicate all on-air promotion time between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 to public service announcements promoting safer sex and HIV testing. MTV also will run "on-screen takeovers" on Dec. 1 during programming to refer viewers to additional IYSL resources. MTV on Dec. 1 also will air a documentary titled "The Diary of Kelly Rowland" describing the recent travels of singer Kelly Rowland to Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and around the U.S. to meet with young people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Univision: Univision on Dec. 8 will devote a special episode of "The Cristina Show" to promoting awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Hispanic community. The program will feature Hispanics living with HIV and their families, many of whom are currently profiled in the campaign "Soy ... (I am...)" launched this fall by Univision and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Regional media partners of the Global Media AIDS Initiative -- a project conceived and run by the Kaiser Family Foundation with support by the United Nations to mobilize media around the world in response to HIV/AIDS -- also announced new programs in observance of World AIDS Day. Summaries appear below.
African Broadcast Media Partnership Against HIV/AIDS: ABMP will launch a new series of public service announcements under its "Imagine an HIV-Free Generation ... It Begins With YOU" campaign, which uses soccer to promote healthy lifestyles and responsible choices.
Asia Broadcasting Union: In partnership with the Asia-Pacific Media AIDS Initiative, ABU will offer rights-free television programs on HIV/AIDS to broadcasters in the region.
Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership on HIV/AIDS: CBMP's public information campaign, "LIVE UP. Love. Protect. Respect," will air a special World AIDS Day edition of the television magazine program (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 11/26).
In addition, several other HIV/AIDS organizations announced new initiatives. Summaries appear below.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation: AHF hosted a 24-hour marathon of no-cost, rapid HIV testing from Nov. 29 - Nov. 30 in Hollywood, Calif. The testing program is part of AHF's "One Million Tests" campaign, which is a coalition of organizations collaborating to provide one million no-cost HIV tests in conjunction with World AIDS Day (AHF release, 11/27).
Global Fund: The Global Fund on Friday announced that programs supported by the fund helped provide treatment for two million HIV-positive people, an increase of 43% from the previous year (Global Fund release, 12/1).
Broadcast Coverage
NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday": The program on Sunday examined HIV among children and teenagers. The segment includes comments from Khadijah Tribble, executive director of Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care in Washington, D.C., and an HIV-positive teenager and her grandmother (Chang, "Weekend Edition Sunday," NPR, 11/30). Audio of the segment is available online.
CNN's "International Correspondents": The program on Friday examined the challenges faced by journalists who cover HIV/AIDS. The segment includes comments from Larry Altman, medical correspondent for the New York Times; Sarah Boseley, health editor for London's Guardian; and photojournalist Gideon Mendel (Newton, "International Correspondents," CNN, 11/28). Video of the segment is available online.
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HIV/AIDS Cases in Asia Could Reach 10M by 2010, Officials Say
[Dec 01, 2008]
The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Asia could reach 10 million by 2010 -- more than double current estimates -- unless countries take increased action to curb the spread of the disease, health officials said on Friday at the launch of an online database on HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, AFP/Google.com reports. The database -- available at aidsdatahub.org -- includes information on HIV/AIDS prevalence, risky behaviors and government responses in various Asian countries and regions within certain countries (AFP/Google.com, 11/28). It was launched by officials from UNICEF, UNAIDS, the World Health Organization and the Asian Development Bank in Manila, the Philippines (Xinhuanet, 11/28).
According to the officials, there could be 500,000 new HIV/AIDS cases annually unless countries take increased action against the disease. In addition, Amala Reddy of UNAIDS said that about 50 million women in the region are at risk of the disease because of the behaviors of their husbands and partners. Reddy added that HIV/AIDS prevalence in Asia likely would reach 3% to 5% at most and is still concentrated among groups such as commercial sex workers, injection drug users and men who have sex with men. In addition, an estimated 75 million men in the region frequent sex workers, who number about 10 million, Reddy said, adding that there are 20 million IDUs and MSM in Asia. ABD Special Advisor Ian Anderson said that HIV/AIDS could have a serious effect on the region because many people living with the disease are in their economically productive years. "Because it is relatively small, this is the time to keep it small," he said, adding, "So we won't have to put the genie back in the bottle later."
In some Asian countries, such men may continue to have sex with their wives and other women, Reddy added (AFP/Google.com, 11/28). WHO Regional Advisor on HIV/AIDS Massimo Ghidinelli said WHO cannot determine a "fully accurate picture" on how MSM are contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS because of the sensitivity of the issue and government neglect. "It is a new phenomenon, and we have insufficient understandings and studies," Ghidinelli said, adding, "The problem may be much greater than what we have believed." Reddy said that there should be "aggressive promotion of condom usage" to address the issue. She added, "We know the ways. It is only that political leaders have to have the political will to do the right things" (Xinhuanet, 11/28).
Link to this story.
Chinese Health Officials, UNAIDS Pledge To Fight HIV-Associated Stigma, Discrimination; Reduce Spread of HIV Among Migrant Workers
[Dec 01, 2008]
Chinese health officials and UNAIDS on Sunday pledged to fight HIV-associated stigma and discrimination by displaying a large red ribbon, an international symbol of HIV/AIDS awareness, at the Olympic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, AP/Google.com reports.
Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu at the ceremony said, "Stigma and discrimination are major obstacles in an effective response to AIDS," adding, "We need to engage all sectors of society in China to combat these issues and work together to stop the disease." Bernhard Schwartlander, UNAIDS country coordinator in China, added that people are reluctant to "come forward" for HIV testing because they are afraid of stigma. In addition, people at risk of HIV "won't talk to their partners and colleagues about HIV/AIDS -- putting themselves and others potentially at risk," Schwartlander said (AP/Google.com, 11/30).
Health officials in China also recently discussed efforts to reduce the spread of HIV among migrant workers and other groups. Although HIV in China has been most common among injection drug users, men who have sex with men, commercial sex workers and people who received tainted blood, the virus is "highly prevalent among specific groups such as migrant workers, and in regions -- particularly remote areas -- and the countryside," Wang Weizhen, deputy director of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment at the Ministry of Health, said (Hornby, Reuters,11/30). HIV also has increased among MSM in recent years, according to a survey conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Hornby, Reuters, 11/28).
According to Reuters, fear of stigma and an embarrassment about talking about sex are fueling the spread of the virus among migrant workers. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday said increased efforts are needed to "strengthen prevention work in key areas and key populations." The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the International Labour Organization have produced a film, titled "Hometown Fellows," about HIV that aims to educate migrant workers about the disease, Reuters reports (Reuters, 11/30).
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Developed Nations Receive Poor Grades on Report Card Assessing Response to HIV/AIDS
[Dec 01, 2008]
Although wealthy countries might be better equipped to provide antiretroviral treatment to HIV-positive people than some developing nations, wealthy nations often are less effective at collecting the data necessary to understand and curb HIV/AIDS, according to a study released last week by AIDS Accountability International, the Financial Times reports. In this first attempt to assess countries' compliance with commitments they made at the United Nations in 2001 and 2006 to ramp up their response to HIV/AIDS, the score card highlights that many high-income nations -- including most European countries and the U.S. -- are "worse at monitoring and/or reporting on the fundamentals of their epidemics and their responses" than their low-income counterparts. In addition, AAI found that although developed countries insisted on monitoring and reporting when they provided funding for antiretroviral treatment in the developing world, they failed to meet the same standards at home (Jack, Financial Times, 11/25).
The U.S., along with countries such as North Korea and Saudi Arabia, received an "E" on the score card, which is one step above the lowest grade possible, Bloomberg reports. AAI said the main reason for the score was the lack of information provided to UNAIDS. According to Bloomberg, the absence of data from the U.S. and other developed countries -- including Denmark, Ireland and Italy -- makes it difficult to determine which governments are having success against the disease and why others are not. Per Strand, AAI's scientific director, said, "Reporting may be poor for a number of reasons, and there may be, if I may say, a certain amount of arrogance from rich countries." Strand added, "It is clear that in some cases the reporting does not reflect the response." Officials from HHS did not immediately return calls for comment, Bloomberg reports.
According to Bloomberg, countries including Mexico and Tajikistan received "A" grades from AAI, indicating they reported on measures such as financial resources allocated to HIV prevention and treatment; engagement of nongovernmental organizations; human rights protections for people affected by HIV/AIDS; and coordination of efforts (Lauerman, Bloomberg, 11/25).
According to the Times, AAI said that the current data made available are inadequate to assess international progress, and it called for auditing to ensure that data provided by national governments on their HIV/AIDS policies are independently validated. AAI also said that the existing 25 indicators recommended by the United Nations are "necessary but insufficient" because they fail to monitor issues such as the quality of implementation of policy. This creates "major obstacles to holding governments accountable," according to the report (Financial Times, 11/25).
Link to this story.
Indonesia's AIDS Commission Rejects Bill To Implant Microchips in Some HIV-Positive People
[Dec 01, 2008]
Indonesia's National AIDS Commission last week said a provision that would require some people living with HIV/AIDS to be implanted with microchips in the province of Papua is unworkable and a violation of human rights, Reuters India reports. "We reject this bylaw because it is against human rights and technically cannot be done," Nafsiah Mboi, secretary of the commission, said, adding, "How can someone know if a person is having sex or jumping and dancing?" (Reuters India, 11/27).
The provision would require "sexually aggressive" people living with HIV/AIDS to be implanted with microchips. According to John Manangsang, a lawmaker who supports the bill, authorities would be able to identify, track and punish people living with HIV/AIDS in the country's province of Papua who intentionally spread the virus with a $5,000 fine or up to six months in jail. Manangsang said, "Aggressive means actively seeking sexual intercourse." Under the provision, a committee would be created to establish which HIV-positive people should be implanted with microchips and to monitor their behavior. The technical and practical details of the bill are still being decided by lawmakers. The provincial parliament of Papua has given its full support to the measure, which will be enacted next month if it receives the expected majority vote (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 11/25). Manangsang on Thursday said that the bylaw initially would only establish a Papua HIV/AIDS center to determine whether the microchip idea is feasible. Mboi said that the central government cannot stop the bylaw but that it is attempting to negotiate with lawmakers to drop articles that violate human rights. She added that said Papua's governor could refuse to sign the bylaw (Reuters India, 11/27).
In related news, the Indonesian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Papua recently said that it will consider accepting the provision if lawmakers supporting it agree to undergo HIV tests and be similarly implanted with microchips if they are found to be HIV-positive. "If it is the best solution for Papua, we will accept it on one condition," Enita Rouw, a representative for the network, said, adding, "We will agree to be implanted with the chips once all of the council members agree to undergo HIV/AIDS tests as demanded by the bylaw." Rouw added that all authorities in Papua should be tested for HIV and that the results should be published to ensure that any human rights violations associated with the provision are dealt out equally (Flassy/Suherdjoko, Jakarta Post, 11/28).
AFP/Google.com on Saturday examined the spread of HIV/AIDS in Papua.
Link to this story.
South Africa Could Have Prevented 365,000 AIDS-Related Deaths if HIV Treatment Programs Had Been Implemented Sooner, Study Says
[Dec 01, 2008]
The South African government could have prevented about 365,000 AIDS-related deaths earlier this decade by providing antiretroviral drugs to HIV-positive people and by implementing a mother-to-child HIV prevention program, according to a study to be published in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, the New York Times reports (Dugger, New York Times, 11/26).
For the study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health compared the HIV/AIDS policies of the South African government from 1999 through 2008 with those of neighboring Botswana and Namibia. According to AFP/Google.com, Botswana and Namibia began providing HIV treatment to people in need before South Africa (AFP/Google.com, 11/26). The researchers quantified the "human cost" of South Africa's "inaction" on HIV/AIDS by comparing the number of people who began receiving antiretrovirals between 2000 and 2005 with the estimated number of people who would have received drugs if a "workable" program had been implemented, according to the Times.
The study found that 23% of South Africans in need of HIV treatment were receiving it as of 2005 but that half of those in need could have been reached. Botswana was providing antiretrovirals to 85% of people in need by 2005, while Namibia was providing treatment to 71%, the study noted. The study concluded that as a result of a lack of treatment, 330,000 South African adults and 35,000 infants died prematurely of AIDS-related causes, resulting in the loss of a combined 3.8 million life years (New York Times, 11/26).
An abstract of the study is available online.
Link to this story.
Across The Nation
Newspapers Publish Local Reactions to World AIDS Day
[Dec 01, 2008]
Newspapers recently published local reactions to World AIDS Day. Summaries appear below
Los Angeles Times: The Times on Saturday examined efforts by California museums to mark World AIDS Day and acknowledge the "creative loss in the arts community by AIDS." The efforts include various HIV/AIDS-related exhibits. At the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, for example, a 26th century B.C. Greek marble statue of a man playing a harp will be cloaked in black cloth to symbolize how HIV/AIDS has deprived the world of art (Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 11/29).
New York Times: On Monday, the Times reported on a memorial in New York City that has been dedicated to New Yorkers who have died of AIDS-related causes. It is the first permanent public outdoor AIDS memorial in the city (Dominus, New York Times, 12/1).
San Francisco Chronicle: The Chronicle on Monday highlighted the work of San Francisco General Hospital's Ward 86, which commemorates its 25th anniversary on Monday. According to the Chronicle, the ward is the oldest HIV/AIDS outpatient clinic in the world and treats 3,000 patients annually, ranging in age from 18 to 82. In addition, it is planning to launch a mini-geriatric clinic, a special program "that would have been unheard of even a decade ago," the Chronicle reports (Fernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/1).
Link to this story.
Opinion
Editorials, Opinion Pieces Respond to World AIDS Day
[Dec 01, 2008]
Several newspapers have published editorials and opinion pieces in response to World AIDS Day. Summaries appear below.
Editorials
Arizona Daily Star: World AIDS Day is a "good time to issue a wake-up call," a Daily Star editorial says, adding, "This scourge has not gone away. It still cannot be cured. No one is known to be immune. You need to take measures, if you're in any way at risk, to protect yourself and your loved ones" (Arizona Daily Star, 12/1).
Boston Globe: "About 1.1 million Americans are thought to be HIV-positive, and each year an additional 56,000 become infected with the disease," a Globe editorial says, adding, "More widespread testing could reduce the number of new infections in two ways." According to the editorial, "Those who learn they are infected could stop sharing contaminated drug needles and adopt safer-sex practices. Also, by getting effective early treatment, they would be less likely to transmit the disease." It concludes, "The United States has stumbled in several ways in its response to AIDS. The failure to follow through aggressively on the CDC's call for routine testing is inexcusable" (Boston Globe, 12/1).
New York Times: A recent mathematical model published in the journal Lancet "sounds too good to be true, and it may prove to be so in the real world," but it "at least lifted our spirits," a Times editorial says. It adds, "At the moment, nobody is recommending the new approach, but" the World Health Organization "will convene a meeting to discuss its implications." The editorial concludes, "If the resources can be found, it would be worth testing the theory in a suitable area" (New York Times, 12/1).
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: World AIDS Day "serves as a reminder of the extensive work that has been done by the Bush administration" and "raises expectations, within reason, for President-elect Barack Obama," a Democrat and Chronicle editorial says. It adds, "Priorities, fiscal restraint and strategic use of money must all be prominent tools Obama uses as he attempts the daunting task of actually achieving the great expectations that have been laid at his feet" (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 12/1).
Opinion Pieces
Sam Ho, Allentown Morning Call: "With improved drugs, proper care and treatment, people with HIV are living longer and stronger lives," Ho, executive vice president and chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare, writes in a Morning Call opinion piece. He adds, "But even with this encouraging news, a dangerous trend is emerging in an often-ignored segment of the HIV and AIDS population: youth." According to Ho, "statistics show more Americans between the ages of 13 and 24 are being affected by this deadly disease than ever before" (Ho, Allentown Morning Call, 11/28).
Ken Hackett, Baltimore Sun: Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services, writes in a Sun opinion piece that although the incoming Obama administration is expected to be "very friendly toward Africa," Obama "will have a hard act to follow in terms of U.S.-Africa relations, thanks in part" to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Hackett writes, "On this World AIDS Day, the last under President Bush, we should acknowledge what PEPFAR has accomplished and recommit our nation to continuing its mission of alleviating the misery caused by this pandemic." Hackett also discusses the threat that the troubled economy could have on fully funding the $48 billion, five-year reauthorization bill that Bush signed in July. He concludes, "This horrible pandemic is affecting the poorest people in the world, those least able to address the ravaging effects of this disease. If we do not help them, we will cede the moral authority that the United States needs to lead the world in the 21st century" (Hackett, Baltimore Sun, 12/1).
Lucy Chesire, Boston Globe: Given the tremendous amount of improvement the world has witnessed in treating HIV/AIDS, "it is unacceptable that we are allowing 25 years of progress to crumble before our eyes" by allowing tuberculosis to "become deadlier than ever," Chesire, a Kenyan patient advocate, writes in a Globe opinion piece. TB is the leading cause of death among HIV-positive people, Chesire writes, adding that neglect and diminished funding for the disease "risk undoing some of the greatest achievements in global health activism." According to Chesire, although Obama "has been vocal about his commitment to continuing the progress made by the Bush administration in fighting infectious diseases and upholding the U.S. commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to fight poverty and disease," he and others leaders "must ensure that joint TB-HIV programs are adequately addressed. The fight against AIDS -- and global health at large --depends on it" (Chesire, Boston Globe, 12/1).
Heidi Cuda, Cedar Rapids Gazette: In the Gazette opinion piece, Cuda, program manager at the Iowa Center for AIDS Resources and Education, discusses the goal of obtaining universal access to comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention programs, treatment, care and support by 2010, as well as the work of her organization to care for HIV-positive people and prevent new cases. Cuda writes, "As we continue to pursue our global 2010 goal, please remember, HIV/AIDS is a preventable disease. We can all take an active role in stopping the spread of HIV" (Cuda, Cedar Rapids Gazette, 11/30).
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chicago Tribune: "As we prepare to commemorate World AIDS Day on Monday, we must remember that the world is facing not only an AIDS emergency -- which is killing 5,500 a day -- but also the global spread of tuberculosis, including drug-resistant strains," Tutu writes. He adds, "True, the world faces an economic downturn, and there is no doubt the U.S. has urgent human needs at home, including its own quite serious HIV/AIDS epidemic, but the fact remains that even a doubled contribution" to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria "would be a tiny amount, less than 1% of the U.S. budget, a small price to pay for a peaceful, stable world" (Tutu, Chicago Tribune, 11/30).
Mark Royse, Lexington Herald-Leader: "As World AIDS Day approaches, it's vital we in Kentucky understand the HIV/AIDS crisis is not over," Royse, executive director of AVOL, writes in a Herald-Leader opinion piece. He adds that the "biggest key" to reversing the spread of HIV is "education and awareness. Unfortunately in Kentucky, ignorance and misinformation persist." According to Royse, HIV-positive people "continue to be discriminated against, and our most at-risk populations are being threatened by our collective squeamishness to publicly discuss sex, drugs, and lifestyles and beliefs that may be different than our own" (Royse, Lexington Herald-Leader, 11/30).
Marshall Matz, Miami Herald: "Although great strides have been made" since HIV/AIDS was first discovered, "the virus continues to destroy millions of lives," particularly in the "world's poorest countries, where hunger and severe poverty exacerbate HIV/AIDS," Matz, founding chair of the board of directors of Friends of the World Food Program, writes in a Herald opinion piece. According to Matz, "As national governments and international organizations continue to address this crisis, we must not overlook the role of food in both the prevention and cure of the disease," because antiretrovirals must be taken with food. He adds that initiatives such as PEPFAR and the World Food Programme's HIV/AIDS and nutrition programs "have given millions of patients in developing countries the opportunity to reclaim their lives. We must build upon the current nutrition provisions in PEPFAR to ensure that HIV/AIDS patients and their families get the life-saving food they need." Matz concludes, "We must also provide WFP with the resources necessary to guarantee that nutrition becomes essential for all HIV/AIDS relief initiatives" (Matz, Miami Herald, 12/1).
Susan Blumenthal and Melissa Shive, San Francisco Chronicle: "[D]espite two decades of progress in the fight against [HIV/AIDS], there is still widespread stigma" surrounding the disease, "fueled by myths, a lack of knowledge about how the disease is transmitted and value judgments about how it is acquired," Blumenthal -- a senior policy and medical adviser at the Foundation for AIDS Research and former assistant surgeon general of the U.S. -- and Shive -- a Fulbright scholar and medical student at the University of California-San Francisco -- write in a Chronicle opinion piece. According to Blumenthal and Shive, the stigma against HIV/AIDS is a "pervasive, pernicious form of discrimination that deeply affects many lives" and poses "a major barrier to HIV prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment." The authors conclude that it is "essential" to enact a new "national AIDS strategy to stop AIDS and help end the discrimination that people with this disease experience every day" (Blumenthal/Shive, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/1).
Jay Levy, San Francisco Chronicle: "Complacency about AIDS threatens our progress toward finding new directions in HIV treatment and prevention," Levy, professor of medicine at UC-San Francisco and executive member of the AIDS Research Institute, writes in a Chronicle opinion piece. According to Levy, HIV/AIDS researchers "must continue our efforts to find a cure for this disease and a vaccine to prevent HIV infection." In addition, schools should increase HIV/AIDS education efforts, and more people should be tested for the disease because "that knowledge can curtail transmission," Levy writes. He concludes that "researchers, clinicians, public health workers and others throughout the world need to reaffirm their commitment to stopping this devastating epidemic in its tracks" (Levy, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/1).
Rob Renzi, Tallahassee Democrat: The "sad fact" is that many HIV-positive people do not know their status, and there are many "others who are not receiving care at all," Renzi, executive director of Big Bend Cares, writes in a Tallahassee Democrat opinion piece. According to Renzi, World AIDS Day is a day of "remembrance" for "those who have been lost to this awful disease and to remember those who live each day with the pain and stigma of HIV/AIDS." In addition, it is a "call for action" encouraging people "to take personal responsibility for their health and to be tested," Renzi writes, adding, "It is your obligation to know your HIV status." Renzi concludes, "On this World AIDS Day, I ask you to remember all of those people we have lost to HIV/AIDS"; to "empathize and reach out" to HIV-positive people; to educate others about the disease; and "most importantly," to "take action to keep yourself and your loved ones safe" (Renzi, Tallahassee Democrat, 12/1).
Amboka Wameyo, Toronto Star: Western nations, including Canada, have a "responsibility" to "help the African health system become more effective and inclusive," Wameyo -- World Vision Canada's advocacy and program integration manager -- writes in a Star opinion piece. He adds that the West also can "provide more drugs at affordable costs." According to Wameyo, "Canada can accomplish much just by keeping its oft-repeated promise to allocate 0.7% of gross national income to foreign aid. Currently, Canada's foreign aid budget is a paltry 0.28%." Wameyo concludes, "Ottawa needs to take its cue from that clear sense of responsibility and generosity" (Wameyo, Toronto Star, 12/1).
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, USA Today: "Every African-American community across the nation must mobilize for an all-out assault on HIV/AIDS if we are to conquer this dreadful disease," Johnson writes. He adds that if he and his wife, Cookie Johnson, can "spur a nationwide dialogue, I know we can halt and begin to roll back the rising tide of HIV/AIDS in black America." He writes, "Let's start talking today" (Johnson, USA Today, 11/28).
Sanford Kuvin, Washington Post: Kuvin -- founder and international chair of the Sanford Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem -- writes in a Post opinion piece that HIV/AIDS "remains the world's No. 1 health threat," adding that it is a "grave risk to black people in particular" in the United States. However, "a nation with U.S. literacy rates and levels of cultural and public-health sophistication is capable of greatly reducing its number of new infections," he adds. Kuvin concludes, "Until we have universal testing and mandatory reporting, tracing and treatment, the government is failing to fulfill its obligation to protect the public health interests of America's uninfected, regardless of race and ethnicity. The United States has the opportunity to prolong uncountable numbers of lives and protect millions of others. America should choose to lead -- and leave behind its ineffective public health policy" (Kuvin, Washington Post, 12/1).
Bhagirath Singh, Windsor Star: Canada will "continue to contribute to global efforts" to eradicate HIV/AIDS, Singh -- executive director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity -- writes in a Star opinion piece. She adds, "Today, World AIDS Day, is an important opportunity -- an opportunity to look back at how far we have come over the past 25 years in understanding, preventing and treating HIV/AIDS and an opportunity to look forward, to the day we will have a vaccine that is successful in eradicating this global scourge" (Singh, Windsor Star, 12/1).
Terry Duguid, Winnipeg Free Press: "It is easy for those of us who may not be as directly affected by HIV/AIDS to become complacent. We must not," Duguid -- president and CEO of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases -- writes in a Free Press opinion piece. He adds, "Canada must continue to lead globally and must sustain a concerted, coordinated effort to find the elusive breakthrough that will lead, finally, to a vaccine." Duguid concludes, "We can feel confident that when that history is written, Canada will be central to the telling of this epic battle for global health" (Duguid, Winnipeg Free Press, 12/1).
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