SOCIAL: AIDS Epidemic In The World

AIDS ravages parts of the world, killing 3 Million people a year. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is the "Top Single Cause of Death Among People Ages 15 to 59." It is a disgrace that drug companies have been unwilling to provide cheap Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome drugs to the African people, that suffer 30 Million out of the 40 Million AIDS cases. The Bush Administration's abstinence policies ignore proven methods of actually stopping the disease. John Kerry hopes to change all this.

John Kerry believes that addressing global health challenges is a humanitarian obligation and a national security threat. Epidemics and diseases destroy societies and contribute to failed states, which can become based to terrorists and many other criminal elements. America�s leadership to the international community will be restored in our effort to combat HIV/AIDS pandemic. In President Bush's State of the Union Address,in 2003, he promised $10 Billion in "new money" over the next five years to help famine and HIV/AIDS in Africa. Which comes to $2 Billion a year. Bread for the World can only find $450 million in such funding. The US funding will be doubled to $30 Billion to help fight Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Bush Administration contributes $2.8 Billion a year to the "Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria"; this will be substantially increased. Safe, effective and affordable generic drugs will be provided to those people that need treatment. Bush's abstinence policies are driven by ideology, and not science. It does not effectively stop the disease from spreading. Policies based on ideology, for stopping the spread of malicious diseases, will be eliminated. These diseases may not have a cure right now, but if John Kerry is elected then it will have a harder chance of surviving.

3 Million AIDS Deaths Last Year
Kerry's Plans for America
International Affairs Budget Analysis

Originally posted by dreamlandmafia
The Bush Administration's abstinence policies ignore proven methods of actually stopping the disease. John Kerry hopes to change all this.

Virtually ignored by the Clinton Admnistration, Bush is the one of the first to announce a comprehensive plan to help combat AIDS in not only Africa, but other parts of the globe. I agree that condoms are essential to prevent the spread of AIDS, but Bush's ideology cannot be blamed for their lack of use in Africa. Cultural influences along with Religious infuences are by far the pervasive reason that condom use is shunned.

In an April 2003 speech Bush recognized a program began in 1986 and singled out condom usage in addition to abstinance and marital fidelity.

This is a terrible disease, but it is not a hopeless disease. At this moment, nations around the world, governments and health officials, doctors and nurses, people living with the virus are proving that there is hope, and that lives can be saved. We know that AIDS can be prevented. In Uganda -- Madame Ambassador, thank you for being here -- President Museveni has begun a comprehensive program in 1986 with a prevention strategy emphasizing abstinence and marital fidelity, as well as condoms, to prevent HIV transmission

I am a strong advocate of condom usuage. However, in Africa, Bush has and will take a pragmatic aproach to thier usage. Even if the money is restricted, there are plenty of other multinational org. that can provide the education and supplies of condom for the people of Africa to use.

John Kerry believes that addressing global health challenges is a humanitarian obligation and a national security threat.

As does Bush.........

Confronting this tragedy is the responsibility of every nation. For the United States, it is a part of the special calling that began with our founding. We believe in the dignity of life, and this conviction determines our conduct around the world. We believe that everyone has a right to liberty, including the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. (Applause.) We believe that everyone has a right to life, including children in the cities and villages of Africa and the Caribbean.

One cannot simply throw money at the problem and hope that people will follow through. As we have seen with the misquided oil for food debacle, there are to may extraneous forces at work to simply give the money to governments in Africa and hope for the best. Despite the shortfall in funds, one should give the administration the benifit of the doubt and see what happens over the long term.

The Kerry plan calls for a massive increase in spending. No mention of other countires needing to asist. Has stated goals to meet the unrealistic expectations of the world health organization. The 30 billion by 2008 as promised is just the tip of the iceberg. The multiple programs as outlined on his web page are strangly free of potential economic projections as to thier overall costs. The rest of the world in particular the EU need to shoulder thier fair share of the costs of this futile attempt to bail out Africa Yet Again....

I have a few tidbits to help this discussion along.

First, I would like to point you to a few problems of our current AIDS policy. Here are some news sources detailing scrutiny of Bush's AIDS policy.

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"The Bush administration advocates sexual abstinence as the best way to stop the disease spreading."

"Many scientists and activists, however, favour encouraging the use of condoms."

"The administration has a stipulation that 30% of US anti-Aids funds go through faith-based organisations."

"That means that upwards of 30% of money will go to organisations which actively denigrate condoms, or that don't advocate them," Mr Sinding said."


Bush's AIDS Policy Faces Scrutiny


Bush's AIDS Policy Comes Under Attack

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I also want to comment on Bush's restrictions on Stem Cell Research. Most scientist would agree that Stem Cell Research has the most promising future in curing diseases. As to how this pertains to curing or preventing AIDS, ask an expert in the area. John Kerry understands the enormous benefits to be gained from such research. I feel that Bush is too strongly bringing religion into the mix.

Here's a link from the White House regarding the issue.


Remarks by the President On Stem Cell Research


[edit on 8/5/2004 by Rev_Godslapper]

I will go on record that I am in no way supporting the presidents policys on Condoms (or orgs. that distribute them) and am appaled by the lack of stem cell support in the government. That being said:

If 30% of the aid is going to charities that do not provide or preach condoms, that still is 30% aid going to these countries. It may not provide a solution, but it still is helping people out. I do not want to sound cold and callous, but we do even take good care of our aid patients in the US. We should fix our healthcare issues before throwing money at an almost impossible situation in Africa. If there ever was a mission for the do-nothing UN, this would be it.

Again, we're running into the issue of "where's the money coming from?" He behaves as though America has a bottomless well of cash, and anytime he runs into a special interest group with an agenda, he promises that he'll fulfill their every dream if they'll just vote for him.

We need to join the world in an effort to get rid of widespread diseases -- but not at the cost of America ending up with an 800-trillion dollar deficit. Bush's plan doesn't include any way of paying for his vague promise. If reelected, he'll just get someone to throw money and by the time we all have to pay for his excesses, he'll be retired at his ranch at Crawford and puttering happily around -- tax free.

...unlike those of us stuck with paying for his dubious "legacy."

I see a possible solution to spreading knowledge of AIDS.....The Peace Corps. All offices are located in third world countires where AIDS runs rampant - especially in Africa, where the most Peace Corps locations are.

Most Peace Corps (PC) offices have about 20-30 volunteers...sometimes more. I think if a cheaply produced ad-campaign for the PC ran we could deflate this belief that only tree-huggers and acne-covered fat kids join. I can't even remember the last time I saw a PC commericial on TV.

Movies like Shallow Hall, although funny as hell and an actual attempt at decreasing these types of negative and dishonest stereotypes, only pushes those thoughts to the front of mainstream media and popular youth.

The PC already tackles plenty of issues from reviving foreign hospitatlity industries to digging latrines. In late 2000 the PC announced an effort of incorporating an AIDS campaign into their current worklist. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave a rather measily $500,000 to the effort...in comparison to other donations they've made, this is chump-change for a much-needed program (Source).