CID at Harvard University :: Bush Aids Plan PR Spectacle Instead of Money for Aids in Africa, All Africa News, 5/11/01

Bush Aids Plan PR Spectacle Instead of Money for Aids in Africa

Activists have denounced Bush's Announcement of $200 million Contribution, One-Tenth of U.S. Funding Needed, Calling it Shameful. There will be a 12 noon protest & press conference today outside white house (north side)

Activists for US AIDS funding will hold a protest and joint press conference with ACT UP and other groups that have sought to get AIDS drugs into developing nations. The press conference will take place outside the White House at 12 noon today. The groups are denouncing Bush's plan to contribute only $200 million contribution towards the new UN AIDS Global Fund-- a fund which, according to Harvard economist Jeffrey Sachs and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, requires 7 to 10 BILLION dollars to confront the escalating global AIDS crisis. International relief organizations had called on the US to contribute about $2 billion to the fund.

The Bush administration has also decided to deny increased funding for the Ryan White CARE Act, despite infection rates among African- American gay men of 30% in US urban areas.

Activists noted that the low US contribution to the Global Fund may cripple its prospects with other donors. The World Bank Trust Fund faced difficulty last year because the small US contribution had a chilling effect on other contributor nations. Such a small contribution from the world's wealthiest country may undermine the International UN AIDS Fund at a critical juncture when wealthy countries and donors are calculating how much to contribute. By setting the bar this low (one- tenth of needed funding), activists believe that President Bush and Secretary Powell send a message to other donors that 30 million people with AIDS without access to medicine are not worth the investment and should be allowed to die (as some public officials are already saying privately).

"It sends a message to other wealthy nations that this UN trust fund -- and the lives it could save -- are not worth the investment," said Eric Sawyer of the Health GAP Coalition who attended a meeting last week in Geneva with UNAIDS which included government officials and public health experts.

(more) Said ACT UP member Kate Krauss, "Bush's White House ceremony this morning was a farce. It was designed to give the public the idea that the US is doing something about AIDS in Africa. But today's announcement will mean only $7 for each person dying of AIDS in subSaharan Africa, with less than $3 going to AIDS drugs. It may pay for lunch for a few days, but it's not going to buy AIDS drugs and it won't keep anyone from dying. In fact, since other countries take their cue from the US, this announcement may be dooming the trust fund's future and selling out millions of dying people. Now other countries may not step up to the plate either. And Bush shows incredible hubris in trying to paper over this embarrassment with a White House ceremony."

Activists at the press conference will hold signs that read "Tax cuts for millionaires, nothing left for AIDS," and "Billions for star wars, pennies for global AIDS."

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's newly announced Global AIDS "war chest" would fund HIV prevention and treatment, as well as medicines for malaria and tuberculosis. The proposed $200 million is less than 1% of the proposed $1.35 trillion tax cut that will largely benefit the richest citizens of the richest nation in the world. Activists note that it is also fraction of the $30 to $40 billion defense allocation slated for faulty Osprey helicopters.

"The recent announcements and foot-dragging indicate the Bush Administration is not addressing this crisis with meaningful funds, policies, or standards," said Asia Russell of Health GAP. "Underfunding the AIDS trust fund is shameful. The Bush administration is leading, alright--they are leading the world away from helping millions of people."

The Bush Administration intends to lobby for donations from corporations, in an effort to deflect overall attention from the paltry US contribution with an infusion of corporate charity. Already the lack of commitment from the Bush Administration to the UN Fund has had a chilling effect, as other G-8 nations have de-emphasized their support of the fund, or have announced significant reductions in the amounts of earlier donation proposals.

HEALTH GAP COLITION DEMANDS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION:

- Allocate $2 billion in new US money to the UN fund for AIDS treatment, care and prevention

- Establish parity in financial support for treatment and prevention Support global AIDS drug distribution and procurement at lowest prices, including access to generics

- Immediately call on the IMF and World Bank to use its own resources to cancel debt owed by the world's poorest countries; the US must also call on the World Bank to abandon its support for user fees for health care and education

- Immediately end the WTO dispute against Brazil's over compulsory licensing and Brazil's domestic patent law

- Support the creation of health exceptions to trade agreements, such as the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (the TRIPS Agreement).

CONTACT: On site: Eric Sawyer, Kate Krauss (917) 951-5758; Paul Davis (215) 474-6886 off site

Health GAP Coalition. PO Box 22439, Philadelphia PA 19110. (215) 731-1844 tel. 215) 731-1845 fax. www.globaltreatmentaccess.org, www.healthgap.org

LOAD-DATE: May 11, 2001

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Last revised 5/11/2001