BlackPerspective.net
Discussing the Diaspora as seen through an internal Black lens
Re-Examination of Bush AIDS Money
October 10th, 2007
Following the conclusion (at least for now) of the AIDs in Africa series, I want to look at some of the external issues effecting fighting the disease on the continent and other parts of the developing world. One issue is foreign Aid for AIDS from rich nations.
In May, George W. Bush called for a 5 year 30 billion dollar global AIDS package.
This seems great, the largest such pledge to fight a disease that is growing in the world, but diminishing in America’s consciousness.
Further examination might suggest that it’s not as wonderful a pledge as it appears on the surface.
A Huffington Post article does an eximination of percentage increase of Bush AIDs money: Like most people, I was impressed by the announcement by President Bush that we was doubling spending on the global AIDS problems. $30 billion over five years is the largest ever public health commitment, by any country. But I was contacted by Asia Russell, from the advocacy group Health GAP, asking that I take another look at the announcement. The “new” $6 billion per year commitment is close to the $5.8 billion we will spend in FY 2008. So it is not double, when compared to current levels of spending. More troubling is the fact that some administration officials are reducing targets for the number of persons treated, because of the higher cost of second generation AIDS drugs — a problem that has been made worse by the Administrations pressures on developing countries for stronger patent protection on AIDS drugs. This was the note from Asia: You can read that note and the press release on Health Gaps analysis of Bush’s funding here
Taking that all noted in this article may very well be true and accurate, and even with loving a rightful opportunity to bash Bush; I still say it’s a decent move on his part.
It would have been easy for him to go much softer with most Americans thinking foreign aid is a major part of our budget, though it is really less than one percent; and could have done so in keeping with his ilk’s usual style of ignoring this type of problem.
I don’t think we should be doing back flips of congratulations with knowledge of the short comings, but we should be measured and balanced, and just aim for improvement upon this decent step.
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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