AIDS FUNDING ALERT

THIS ALERT IS BASED ON AFRICA ACTION’S  ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT BUSH ADMINISTRATION AIDS FUNDING PLANS

Randall Tobias, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, this month (MARCH) will present to Congress President Bush's plan to fight AIDS in Africa.

In his 2003 State of the Union address, President Bush promised $15 billion to meet the "severe and urgent crisis" of HIV/AIDS in Africa and  the Caribbean. But this "emergency" money was not made immediately available. The funding of the global strategy starts over a year later with an inadequate $2.6 billion. The plan needs to endorse the use of more affordable generic AIDS drugs and put the lives of millions of Africans before drug companies profits.

The promised $15 billion must be spent now to save lives and prevent the further spread of the AIDS pandemic in Africa.

Te!l Congress that the President's Emergency Initiative needs to include all $15 billion now, and that affordable treatment must be a  priority in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

For more information, please follow this link:

http://www.africaaction.org/newsroom/index.php?op=read&documentid=451&type=14