AIDS update: Past successes and the challenges we face today

For the past seven years — in partnership with you — we've worked tirelessly to promote legislation that increases the U.S. contribution to the global AIDS fight.

Now, funding is at risk. Join us and use your voice to support critical HIV and AIDS programs this World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.

This year we are drawing special attention to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Every 90 seconds, another child is infected with HIV, and most of these children are infected during birth, delivery, or breastfeeding. Your involvement, however, can help fight mother-to-child transmission.

Looking back

It’s important to take time to stop and look back. AIDS advocacy has made a difference. Celebrating past successes will help build courage for the challenges ahead.

AIDS has been in the public eye for more than 25 years.

Since then, the stigma toward AIDS has seen a marked reduction and the U.S. government has boldly responded to the global crisis through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The voices of thousands helped to make PEPFAR a reality in 2003. Today, your voices still have a significant impact on the makeup and continuance of this legislation.

PEPFAR timeline

2003: President George W. Bush establishes PEPFAR, a commitment of $15 billion (or $3 billion per year) over five years (2003-2008). By 2013, PEPFAR aims to:

• Treat at least 3 million people;
• Prevent 12 million new infections;
• Care for 12 million people, including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children.

PEPFAR specifically includes a provision that sets aside 10 percent of the global AIDS budget to help care for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS.

To date, PEPFAR has been able to provide prevention of HIV transmission services to 16 million pregnant women; reach more than 58 million people with services to prevent sexual transmission of the disease; placed more than 2 million people on anti-retroviral drugs; and provide care to more than 4 million orphans and vulnerable children.

Advocates like you played a key role in supporting World Vision’s advocacy work, which was critical in securing this 10-percent dedication of funds for children.

2007: President Bush requests an increase from $3 billion to $5 billion per year for fiscal year 2008.

Advocates like you united to speak out for an increase in AIDS funding,
playing a pivotal role in this success.

2008: PEPFAR is scheduled for review and reauthorization. Thanks to the courageous bipartisan efforts of Congress and the Bush administration, PEPFAR is renewed for another five years. Having already provided approximately $16 billion over the last five years, this new legislation has committed the United States to providing up to $48 billion over the next five years, including $5 billion for malaria.

Advocates like you united to urge leaders to reauthorize and increase
funding for PEPFAR.

The challenge we face today

The federal budget and appropriations cycle provides funding on an annual basis, so advocacy is necessary each year to ensure that resources remain available to meet the needs of millions impacted by HIV and AIDS.

Each cycle brings competing priorities for funds. With the current economic crisis, your voices are more important than ever to protect this essential funding. This is a critical year —one in which Congress will either reaffirm its commitment to fully funding AIDS programs, or will veer off track, breaking its promises.

In honor of World AIDS, we ask you to join your voices with ours by calling on Congress to support prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and keep its promise to provide $7.2 billion this year to stop the spread of HIV and care for those affected by the disease.

For life-saving programs, this request is not unreasonable. It represents less than 0.2 percent of the president’s fiscal year 2010 budget.

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be prevented. With support for HIV and AIDS programs, millions more HIV infections among children can be avoided. Call your senators to voice your support for programs to protect these innocent children.

Things you can do

• Praise God for the past successes, through His power, that we have witnessed. Pray that Congress would keep its promise to provide more funding in the coming year to continue contributing to the global AIDS fight.
• Call your senators. Ask them to support prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and keep its promise to provide $7.2 billion this year to stop the spread of HIV and care for those affected by the disease.