[Ip-health] Re: 15 Billion!!!

[Daya Shanker]

Dear Rene
We have seen this enough to even blush at the absurdity of it all.
During Afghan campaign, we had the Doha Declaration which was
subverted the moment Afghanistan issue died down. During Iraq war we
have US$ 15 billion for AIDS in Africa. How many pennies one would
receive for wishing the gentleman a good Iraq voyage is yet to be
seen. The gentleman must be under impression that he is dealing with
totally rotten bunch of mentally retarded cretins. The way media
picked up the story and wrote editorials in double quick time suggests
the reason for this announcement.
Daya Shanker
 Bush has just announced 15 billion dollars over 5 years for AIDS.
Here is
> the text from the state of the Union.
>
> Rene
>
>
> As our Nation moves troops and builds alliances to make our world
safer, we
> must also remember our calling, as a blessed country, to make this
world
> better. Today, on the continent of Africa, nearly 30 million people
have
> the AIDS virus including three million children under the age of 15.
There
> are whole countries in Africa where more than one-third of the adult

> population carries the infection. More than four million require
immediate
> drug treatment. Yet across that continent, only 50,000 AIDS victims
only
> 50,000 are receiving the medicine they need.
>
> Because the AIDS diagnosis is considered a death sentence, many do
not seek
> treatment. Almost all who do are turned away. A doctor in rural
South
> Africa describes his frustration. He says, We have no medicines &
many
> hospitals tell [people], You ve got AIDS. We can t help you. Go home
and die.
>
> In an age of miraculous medicines, no person should have to hear
those
> words. AIDS can be prevented. Anti-retroviral drugs can extend life
for
> many years. And the cost of those drugs has dropped from 12,000
dollars a
> year to under 300 dollars a year which places a tremendous
possibility
> within our grasp.
>
> Ladies and gentlemen, seldom has history offered a greater
opportunity to
> do so much for so many. We have confronted, and will continue to
confront,
> HIV/AIDS in our own country. And to meet a severe and urgent crisis
abroad,
> tonight I propose the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief a work of mercy
beyond
> all current international efforts to help the people of Africa. This

> comprehensive plan will prevent seven million new AIDS infections &
treat
> at least two million people with life-extending drugs & and provide
humane
> care for millions of people suffering from AIDS, and for children
orphaned
> by AIDS. I ask the Congress to commit 15 billion dollars over the
next five
> years, including nearly ten billion dollars in new money, to turn
the tide
> against AIDS in the most afflicted nations of Africa and the
Caribbean.
>
>
>
>
> www.fightglobalaids.org
>
> Mr. Rene Shen
> Student Global AIDS Coalition
> 539 Kirkland Mail Center
> Cambridge, MA 02138.
> 617-493-0094
> 617-335-3260
> rshen@fas.harvard.edu
> aim: shenrene
>
>
>
>
> .
>
>