The future of nations ravaged by AIDS became a little brighter in January.
In his State of the Union address, US President George W. Bush proposed US$15 billion in special funding to prevent 7 million new cases of HIV infection, treat at least 2 million AIDS patients and provide care for millions of people with the disease or orphaned because of it. Most of the money would be spent in 12 African and 2 Caribbean countries.
Meanwhile, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in partnership with the US National Institutes of Health Foundation, is creating a US$200 million “Grand Challenges in Global Health” initiative. It will be used to seek cures for diseases plaguing the developing world, including HIV/AIDS. The Global Forum on Health Research says that only 10% of medical research involves the diseases that create 90% of the world's health burden.
Although the US donation is the largest ever pledged to the fight against AIDS, some activists criticized the choice of 14 specific countries. However, the White House said it was trying to focus on countries such as South Africa and Namibia, which account for the bulk of cases.
Canadian Stephen Lewis, the UN's special envoy for AIDS in Africa, has described life in nations ravaged by the disease as “a scene from hell.” He said the US pledge “opens the floodgates of hope.” — CMAJ