Presidents Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief
“On World AIDS Day and throughout the year, we stand with our friends and partners around the world in the urgent struggle to fight this virus, comfort those who are affected, and save lives.”
- President George W. Bush
World AIDS Day
December 1, 2006
On January 28, 2003, President Bush announced the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR. This initiative authorized President Bush to spend $15 billion dollars over 5 years to expand global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria programs. With PEPFAR, the USA became the biggest supporter for the fight against AIDS/HIV in the world. $10 billion of the budget goes to 15 focus countries, which are home to approximately half of the world’s 39 million HIV-positive people. These countries are Botswana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Mozambique, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Guyana, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania and Vietnam. With the $10 billion budget they intend to prevent 7 million new infections, treat 2 million people living with AIDS related illnesses, and provide care and support for 10 million persons affected by AIDS. Concerning other countries across the world, the U.S. Emergency Plan will encourage bold leadership at every level to fight HIV/AIDS, apply best practices within their bilateral programs in concert with host governments’ national HIV/AIDS strategies and encourage all partners to coordinate, adhere to sound management practices and harmonize monitoring and evaluation efforts.
PEPFAR is currently lead by Dr Mark Dybul, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, who is directly responsible to the Secretary of State. Before Dr Dybul started his leadership, PEPFAR was coordinated by Ambassador Randall Tobias, who held the post from October 2003 until early 2006 and later left to become America’s first ever Director of Foreign Assistance, as well as head of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
PEPFAR spends 20% of the budget on prevention programs to slow the spread of epidemic. They support the ABC approach, prevention of mother to child transmission interventions, programs on blood safety, injection safety, secondary prevention, counseling and education. Of the 20% spent on prevention, one third of the budget must be spent on abstinence-only campaigns, what many people find controversial.
PEPFAR also provides help to people already infected with HIV/AIDS to maintain financial stability. Special services are provided for the unique needs of women, including rape and abuse victims as well as for orphans and vulnerable children.
The Emergency Plan is supported by wide range of national and international groups and agencies, such as the Harvard University, Columbia University’s International Center for AIDS Care & Treatment Programs, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the AIDS Relief consortium of Catholic Relief Services.
In October 2008 PEPFAR 5-year plan expires, however U.S. government intents to continue funding affected countries. President Bush announced in May 2007 that the U.S. Government intents to double the initiative’s budget to $30 billion in order to cover the five years from 2008 to 2013. He also emphasized the need to shift from an emergency plan to a sustainable response, and suggested new prevention, treatment and care targets.
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