[Am-info] Gates Op-ed in Sunday's NYT

[Stuart J. Hysom]

Interesting Op-ed piece by BG about AIDS in India in today's New York 
Times.  Not to be too cynical, but it looks like M$ is trying to change 
its PR image.  Interesting timing as well.  Comments?

Stuart Hysom

Slowing the Spread of AIDS in India
By BILL GATES

NEW DELHI
India is well on its way to becoming a global economic superpower. Its 
economy has significantly outpaced much of Asia in recent years, its 
internationally competitive information technology and pharmaceutical 
industries are projected to grow dramatically this decade, and the 
country's purchasing power is now the fourth largest in the world, after 
the United States, China and Japan.

But much of this progress will be threatened by AIDS.

SNIP

Having failed to prevent enormous human suffering already experienced in 
Africa, the international community has an opportunity to support 
India's efforts to stem its AIDS crisis before it's too late.

SNIP

Over the years, I have developed close professional and personal ties to 
India. India's rapidly growing software sector has made the country a 
critical partner to many American companies, including Microsoft. 
India's teachers, scientists and business professionals are laying the 
foundation for extraordinary economic and social change that would be 
threatened by AIDS.

SNIP

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is in India this week to make a 
long-term commitment to Indian partners for a major new prevention 
initiative aimed at mobile populations. The initiative will focus on 
proven prevention strategies, such as voluntary counseling and testing, 
condom distribution, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases as 
well as public education programs to reduce the fear and stigma of AIDS.

SNIP

We know how to prevent the spread of H.I.V. and AIDS. The choice now is 
clear and stark: India can either be the home of the world's largest and 
most devastating AIDS epidemic — or, with the support of the rest of the 
world, it can become the best example of how this virus can be defeated.