AHF applauds Obama administration for reasserting U.S. leadership in contributions to fight global AIDS

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today lauded the Obama administration's announcement that it will seek $4 billion for the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis over the next three years—a 38% increase over what has been provided in the previous three-year period. The U.S. also urged better management of grants by participating countries, as well as increased accountability and efficiency by the Global Fund.

“Now that the U.S. is beginning to resume its role as the global leader in AIDS control, other countries will have no excuse not to contribute more”

"We applaud the Obama administration for reasserting U.S. leadership and for challenging the rest of the world—particularly the other G8 nations—to step up contributions to fight the global AIDS scourge," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "AHF has been championing reform of the Global Fund for some time. It is our hope that with this funding—as well as a U.S. commitment to bringing down the cost of care through increased accountability and efficiency—the number of people receiving lifesaving AIDS treatment worldwide can be doubled and a new era of hope will dawn."

Today's announcement was made during the Global Fund's Third Voluntary Replenishment and pledging conference taking place in New York October 4^th and 5^th. The U.S. is by far the largest donor, having contributed over $4.3 billion to the Global Fund. This accounts for 28% of all donations and is less than .038% of the U.S. GDP.

"Now that the U.S. is beginning to resume its role as the global leader in AIDS control, other countries will have no excuse not to contribute more," said Jorge Saavedra, AHF's Chief of Global Affairs. "Of course, in these tough economic times, it is the responsibility of all funding bodies to spend money in the most efficient possible ways, in order to save the maximum number of lives through testing and treating and thereby breaking the chain of infection. We are pleased at this latest development and hope that the result will be more lives saved."