GLOBAL AIDS ADVOCATES SHOCKED BY DRASTIC

FUNDING CUTS IN PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FIRST BUDGET

Expect HIV Treatment Interruption for Thousands if Congress

Doesn’t Restore $6.6 Billion Shortfall

Contact: Jennifer Flynn, +1-917-517-5202 or jflynn@healthgap.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2009

Washington, DC: Today, President Obama released the details of his 2010 budget for Global Health, and outlined a new six-year global health initiative. However, the only aspect of the plan that appears “new” is a dramatic decrease in funding for programs to address HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

Last year, with the help of then-Senators Biden and Obama, Congress reauthorized the US global AIDS, TB, and malaria programs (commonly called PEPFAR) at $48 billion over 5 years. A modest estimate to extend that level of funding over six years to match the new initiative would be $57.6 billion. The President’s current proposal only calls for $51 billion for the same programs – a $6.6 billion cut. This means there will be dramatic reductions to funding for AIDS, TB, malaria, and still very little left over for vital expenditures like maternal and child health and health system strengthening.

The President had previously committed to do significantly more on global AIDS, TB and malaria. In his statement, President Obama highlighted his commitment to the Lantos-Hyde US Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Act while he was a Senator. This legislation authorized $48 billion over five years for AIDS, TB and malaria. During his campaign, at several junctures, he promised to fully fund PEPFAR, including a written pledge to support $50 billion over five years for global AIDS alone. President Obama also committed to the training of one million new health workers globally.

“President Obama repeatedly committed to ensuring the US does its fair share to fight AIDS around the world. But this budget’s drastic cuts to funding for AIDS, TB and malaria shows that his promises were just rhetoric,” said Kaytee Riek, Director of Organizing for Health GAP. “Effective programs, and the people whose lives are saved by those programs, will suffer.”

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria is in particular danger. "The Global Fund board meeting is taking place right now and we are going to be making some difficult decisions about how to respond to the $5 billion funding shortfall. We had hoped that President Obama would fulfill his campaign promise with this budget and contribute the U.S. fair share to this lifesaving multilateral program. Sadly, with a mere $366 million increase in US funding for all AIDS, TB and malaria programs in 2010, there is not enough room to fully fund the Global Fund, and means the Global Fund may have to start cutting existing and future grants,” said Asia Russell, Director of International Advocacy for Health GAP and a Board Member of the Global Fund.

The budget now goes to Congress for debate and approval. “This budget does not contain the funding for the Administration to meet targets Congress required when it reauthorized PEPFAR. In addition, this budget does not go nearly far enough on other global health priorities, including maternal and child health and health systems strengthening”, said Siham Elhamoumi, a Health GAP core member and leader in the Vermont Global Health Coalition. “Fortunately, Senator Leahy, Representative Lowey, and others in Congress can ensure that the Administration has the resources they need to save millions of lives worldwide. We are hoping they will act.”

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