February 9, 2010

U.S. Freezes HIV Treatment Spending in Africa, Shifts Focus to Prevention

The Obama administration is freezing spending on HIV treatment in several African countries and is instead shifting its focus to HIV prevention, Agence France-Presse reports. In response, activists and health officials say they are concerned about reversing the gains made against global HIV/AIDS since 2003, when former president George W. Bush launched the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

According to the article, HIV-positive patients enrolled in PEPFAR programs will continue receiving free antiretroviral therapy under the spending freeze, but clinics are being forced to turn away new patients.

Peter Mugyenyi, head of Uganda’s Joint Clinical Research Center, accused the United States of breaking its promise to Uganda, “ The No. 1 thing is availability of treatment,” he said. “Any other program, whatever name they call it, will fail.”

HIV specialist Eric Goemaere, MD, with Doctors Without Borders, said that spending PEPFAR funds on prevention in an effort to slow the HIV/AIDS epidemic is a “fake argument,” adding that an effective prevention strategy relies on testing.  

“Why were people getting tests? It is because treatment was available,” he said.

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Previous Comments:

anne muya, , 2010-03-11 05:13:51
It is quite sad that US want to withdrawal spending on the HIV treatment.

John-Manuel Andriote, Norwich, CT, 2010-03-05 12:40:30
I understand that we are still in a recession, but this it is counterproductive to cut funds for treatment and focus on prevention--because TREATMENT IS PREVENTION. How many times must this point be made? The best prevention is to reduce viral loads which reduces the level of risk that HIV will be transmitted--whether in Africa or in the U.S. "Education" alone isn't going to prevent the spread of HIV.

Frederick Wright, Tampa, 2010-02-21 07:52:55
I have to adress John's comments in his attempt to show his true colors in D.C. John you are way out their in your comments of our President and truly you must be one of those Gay Republicans that are disturbed, for many of the Money Whores in D.C are not getting the big piece of the pie (money) as in the past and wondering how they are going to afford new drapes for their D.C condo. John the people are leading our President and He is following the will of the people. It is called democracy

Frederick Wright, Tampa, 2010-02-20 10:20:48
Wake up HIV people in Uganda, Kenya, Nigera and all the other concerned citzens within the many African countries.The freeze is a wake up call for these wonderful people to adress their community with Honor in Human Rights. It is an attempt to start conversation and action in all communities to build, plan and create healthcare for all and the people of the USA can not build these systems for all of Africa for they must start taking actions and USA can help, not own the healcare systems Africa

Akin, BA, 2010-02-12 15:48:49
This news signify a grave danger to AFrica as it is capable of reversing the gains made from the successes of the PEPFAR phase 1 intervention.Please America can you rethink this decision?

mountainman4103, minneapolis, 2010-02-11 16:13:24
Yep, and they still hate GWB. Now who is the guy that's taking away funding? 1st Africa, will the U.S. be next?

Seapsrainbird, Tulalip, 2010-02-11 13:58:18
I am sorry to hear this is happening, but the US economy may dictate this action. The US citizens that have been dropped from ADAP and those with without deserve priority for these funds.

Mirieri, Kampala, 2010-02-10 12:53:56
As tragic as it may be for people in Africa, one cannot help thinking the funds are stolen anyway to build multimillion mansions for those who get access to it. The implicated criminals in the global fund saga have never been brought to book. So if there are U.S citizens out there with no drugs, no money should go to the corrupt officials here.

Steffan, New York City, 2010-02-10 11:29:28
The US is having an economic crisis. If US citizens can't get their HIV treatment paid for by the government and are on ADAP waiting lists because they're jobs aren't good enough for insurance, why should citizens of different countries get amenities from the US that citizens can't even get?

John, Washington D.C., 2010-02-09 22:29:26
I thought you guys blindly followed everything Obama does? How can it be that someone as horrible as GWB was better at funding the fight against AIDS in Africa than the democrats Messiah? For all the ragging people did on Bush he certainly tried to help out people with HIV and AIDS as much as he could. He initiated the removing of travel restrictions, he increased AIDS funding, he increased AIDS funding in Africa. And yet you all still follow Obama blindly, like a Messiah.