Secretary Thompson Leads U.S. Delegation to the XIV International AIDS Conference

7/3/2002

From: HHS Press Office, 202-690-6343; http://www.hhs.gov/news

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced Wednesday that he will lead the U.S. delegation to the 14th International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain, July 7-12. The trip comes on the heels of Thompson's signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese ministry of health to expand HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities in China.

"The International AIDS Conference provides an invaluable and unique opportunity to engage the global community on the best strategies to combat HIV/AIDS," Thompson said. "As the world leader in fighting HIV/AIDS, the United States is honored to be working side by side with other nations. We must build on the conference theme of translating scientific knowledge into action and work with our international partners to help reduce AIDS-related death and disease and the spread of new HIV infections."

While in Barcelona, Thompson will address up to 1,500 attendees during a senior lecture series about U.S. efforts to support HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities, highlighting recent visits to Africa and the Caribbean. He will be joined by Executive-Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Dr. Richard Feachem and World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Thompson's visit builds upon the Bush administration's strong support of protecting the social fabric of families affected by HIV/AIDS. "There are an estimated 40 million people in the world living with HIV/AIDS," Thompson said. "By 2010, an estimated 44 million children will have lost one or both parents to AIDS. That's almost too painful to contemplate. But we must think about it and act boldly to help."

On June 19, President Bush announced a new $500 million International Mother to Child Transmission Initiative that seeks to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mothers to infants and to improve health care delivery in Africa and the Caribbean.

The President's budget request for HHS in fiscal year 2003 for domestic and international HIV/AIDS programs and activities is $12.9 billion, an increase of more than $906 million from fiscal year 2002. Funding highlights include:

-- $2.8 billion for HIV/AIDS vaccine, treatment and prevention activities at the National Institutes of Health, including support for the Global AIDS Research Initiative;

-- $939 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for HIV/AIDS prevention efforts through the Global AIDS Program and domestic AIDS prevention activities;

-- $1.9 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration's Ryan White CARE Act activities, which provide domestic HIV/AIDS services and treatment to low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals; and

-- $4.7 billion for Medicaid spending on HIV/AIDS for fiscal year 2003, with Medicare spending totaling $2.2 billion.

In addition, the Bush administration has dedicated $500 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, 24 percent of the Fund's total pledges.