Trillium Asset Management Signs Letter to President Bush Requesting $1 Billion for Global AIDS and Health Fund(Archive)

Of the more than 36 million worldwide who are infected with HIV/AIDS, 25 million of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The crisis has killed 22 million people and orphaned 13 million children. The number of infected persons is expected to reach 50 million by 2005. Ninety-five percent of those currently infected cannot get access to life-saving medications. Because a public health crisis of this magnitude has not been addressed within the regular appropriations process, emergency supplemental funding is the best way to assist in stopping AIDS in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America and many other impacted regions. The Fund currently has just over $1.5 billion in donations, but it will need $10 billion annually to be fully operational.
ACTION ALERT: MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD! Phone calls, and faxed and emailed letters are urgently needed at this time, and for the next two weeks, to urge your representatives in Congress to take action. Go to the Global AIDS Alliance web site at: http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/cd_Action.html to contact your representatives in Congress.
October 19, 2001
The Honorable George W. BushThe White House Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: Our organizations are humanitarian, religious, and other groups committed to a full-scale effort to stop the global AIDS pandemic and its related causes, particularly in impoverished regions of the world. Because of the seriousness of this and related health crises, we are writing to urge you to submit to the Congress an emergency supplemental request for at least an additional $1 billion for the Global AIDS and Health Fund to Combat HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We strongly believe that an emergency appropriation is absolutely essential to leverage significant additional public and private resources to meet the estimated $10 billion annual cost of fighting the global AIDS pandemic. Many of our organizations have personnel and programs in these affected regions; we and our international partners have seen the terrible impact of AIDS firsthand. The pandemic has killed over 25 million people, including an estimated four million children. Last year 600,000 new infections of children took place. There are over 13 million orphans that have resulted from AIDS.
TB and malaria cause some 3 million deaths each year. We welcome your administration’s initial request of $200 million for the Global Fund. However, given the resources needed to effectively respond to HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, the Global AIDS and Health Fund will need much larger contributions. We urge that US support for the Global Fund be in keeping with our traditional leadership role in the world and the enormity of this crisis. We recognize the federal budget faces severe limits. Nevertheless, the magnitude and projected global impact of HIV/AIDS demands a greater response. Without bold interventions now, current projections that 50 million people will become infected by 2005 will be a reality. We urge your administration to address this crisis by submitting an FY02 emergency supplemental to the Congress calling for a minimum of $1 billion to be designated for the Global Fund and an additional $200 million for USAID for global AIDS programs.
We know how to prevent HIV infection, treat infected persons, and care for children affected by AIDS. In addition, antiretroviral drugs exist that can substantially reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission and prolong the lives of people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis, the greatest killer of people with AIDS, can often be cured with $10 worth of drugs. And malaria can be prevented and treated with strategies costing just a few dollars per person. The Global AIDS and Health Fund will be able to manage resources, expand programs, and procure essential medicines and health supplies by early next year. To maximize effectiveness, its funds should be used for results-based, gender-sensitive programs that specifically increase the number of people covered by these proven interventions, through the direct provision of drugs, other commodities and services to beneficiaries, including children affected by AIDS, in countries severely affected or at high risk of rapid spread of these diseases. The AIDS pandemic and its related causes in Africa, Asia and elsewhere threaten to destabilize nations and undermine global security. We believe taking bold action now to ensure adequate resources for the Global AIDS and Health Fund would be one of the best ways the US could exert leadership in a troubled world. Again, we appreciate what you and your Administration have done to respond to these diseases which cause so much suffering and death throughout the world. It is clear, however, that a far greater response by the United States is urgently needed. Respectfully,
Advocates for Youth Africa ActionAfrica Faith & Justice NetworkAIDS Action American Jewish World ServiceArtists Against AIDS WorldwideArtists for a New South AfricaBlack Women TodayBlack World TodayCenter for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE)Central Conference of American Rabbis Church World ServiceChurch Women UnitedEpiscopal Church, USAEvangelical Lutheran Church in AmericaGlobal AIDS AllianceGlobal JusticeHealth GAP CoalitionKenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project GroupNational Association of People Living With AIDS National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender OrganizationOxfam AmericaThe Pendulum ProjectSociety of Missionaries of Africa Student Global AIDS CampaignRESULTSUnion of American Hebrew Congregations United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and SocietyWashington State Africa Network Yale AIDS Network