S.F. RESULTS

Contra Costa Times

September 23, 2003

Opinion

Keep AIDS promise

IT HAS BEEN NINE MONTHS since President Bush surprised just about everybody with his State of the Union pledge of $15 billion over five years to fight AIDS in Africa.

In the nine months since Bush's announcement, the authorization for funds to provide medicine and education to fight AIDS has been winding through both houses of Congress. During that time, it is estimated 2.2 million people have died from AIDS, 3.6 million have been infected, and more than 450,000 babies have been born with the virus. "Time is not on our side," said Bush when lobbying reluctant congressmen in his own party for the funds.

Bono, the Irish rock star, known for his work for environmental and health causes, said he and Bush had "a good old row" last week as the U2 lead singer tried to increase the money for AIDS-fighting organizations. As it appears now, the Senate's bill has only $2 billion budgeted for this year, a billion dollars less than anticipated. About $1.5 billion was already in the budget to target AIDS in Africa, so the $2 billion is actually only a paltry $500,000 increase.

When Bush visited Africa earlier this year, he told Africans, that AIDS "is the deadliest enemy Africa has ever faced, and you will not face this enemy alone," raising hopes of Africans across the continent.

The reduction in aid, especially in the first year, will do little to implement the strong counter-attack needed against the disease. In the wider scheme of global politics, it can damage the credibility of the United States in poverty-stricken countries, creating fertile breeding grounds for anti-U.S. terrorists.

When the bill goes to conference with the House version soon, we urge lawmakers to restore the aid to the $3 billion slated for the first year. It's a promise we must keep.

White House aides assure that in five years, all of the promised $15 billion will have been delivered to health-care clinics and governments fighting that deadly disease. With each tick of the clock, more women, men and children get infected; millions more die. The president is right, time is not on our side.


© 2003 Knight Ridder