Statement from AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families on President Bush's 'Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief'

1/31/2003

From: Jenice Robinson, 202-785-3564 ext. 17 or jrobinson@aids-alliance.org; Mark Delmonte, 202-785-3564 ext. 13 or 202-253-2388 both of AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 -- Following is a statement by David C. Harvey, executive director of the AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families, on President Bush's 'emergency plan for AIDS relief':

"President Bush deserves a standing ovation for announcing today that we will 'whip HIV and AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean' by investing $15 billion over five years in new global programs. This is truly an historic moment.

"AIDS Alliance will work with the Bush administration to extend the expertise of domestic family HIV care clinics globally to help support this initiative. We will also work to ensure that this support is appropriate to the cultures of Africa and the Caribbean by ensuring that African American and Latino HIV/AIDS expertise available in the United States is used globally.

"AIDS Alliance applauds President Bush's announcement that the 30-minute HIV rapid test has been approved for widespread use in clinics. This will make a tremendous difference in helping the thousands of Americans who do not know their HIV status get into care and treatment. However, implementing the rapid test will mean that clinics need to prepare to serve more patients. The federal government must provide additional funding for public health programs to serve these patients, like Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act, which supports services for women, children and families affected by HIV/AIDS.

"The 7 percent increase proposed by President Bush in the '04 HIV/AIDS budget is a very important first step. These new funds are sorely needed to purchase expensive HIV/AIDS medications and increase research efforts. However, we need President Bush to fully fund increases in HIV prevention, the Ryan White CARE Act, and HIV/AIDS housing programs if we can even hope to keep pace with the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic.

------ Through education, training and advocacy, AIDS Alliance addresses the needs of children, youth and families affected by HIV and AIDS.