AHF commends Congressman Rohrabacher for exposing AIDS funding grab by China

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), today lauded California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-46^th) for recent comments exposing an AIDS funding grab by the country of China—now the world's second largest economy— in its dealings with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). In a speech last week on the House floor, Rohrabacher chided China for its dealings with the Fund. According to a report in the Congressional Record for November 18 (156, p. H7594), Rohrabacher stated, "Over the last 8 years, China has been the recipient of almost $1 billion in grants. Conversely, over that same period China has only contributed $16 million to the fund."

“We commend Congressman Rohrabacher for exposing this ongoing AIDS funding grab by China”

Rohrabacher also noted, "Over the 8 years of the fund's history, the United States has willingly contributed $4.3 billion—that's more than 28 percent of all the contributions to this benevolent fund—and we should be proud that we are a generous people, even if we can't afford it." He went on, "…because of an anomaly in the funding formula, China has been one of the largest recipients of this fund," adding, "I can't come up with one reason of why the American taxpayer should be underwriting the cost of China's public health system. The whole thing is a travesty."

"We commend Congressman Rohrabacher for exposing this ongoing AIDS funding grab by China," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "As the second largest global economy, the Chinese government should be showing more leadership on HIV/AIDS than it has over the past decade and it should also be shouldering far greater financial responsibility in helping to combat the global epidemic. We thank Mr. Rohrabacher for speaking out on China's chutzpah in taking advantage of the Global Fund in this way. We also urge the Congressman, his fellow legislators and other US officials to demand greater accountability from the Global Fund regarding its AIDS funding priorities."

In his floor speech, Rohrabacher closed his remarks on China stating, "This issue needs to be addressed, but nobody of course has the guts to address it because China is getting about a billion dollars' worth of benefits, paying a pittance, while the United States pays $4 billion into this fund. What we've been doing in this case is borrowing from China to donate to a fund that gives back to China. Over the years, we then end up paying interest on the debt that's been incurred by this very transaction."

Source AIDS Healthcare Foundation