| The US Global AIDS Plan |
May 10th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Flynn, (917) 517-5202 or jflynn@healthgap.org
EXPLOSIVE AIDS IN AFRICA MEMO, MEDIA REPORTS REVEAL OBAMA'S 'FAILING' GLOBAL AIDS STRATEGY
Activists to Protest Prominent Democratic Party Fundraiser, Thursday May 13, St. Regis Hotel, 5pm
(New York., NY): President Obama's strategy to fight AIDS in Africa is at risk of failing, according to advocacy organizations, who pointed today to new developments including leaked official Administration documents instructing major Global AIDS program implementers to stop enrolling sick and dying patients due to program underfunding, as well as recent media reports, including the cover story in the NY Times today, revealing President Obama has broken the promises on AIDS in Africa he made while campaigning, and that his Administration's response to global AIDS is weakening.
The never-before-published document, a memo dated October 29, 2010, instructs AIDS program implementers in Uganda that they should:
"...expect to have a flat-lined budget for ARV [antiretroviral] treatment procurement that should not be exceeded"
"In filling treatment slots that are made empty through attrition....priority should be given to the sickest patients".
A coalition of domestic and global AIDS organizations is planning a protest outside a Democratic National Committee fundraiser, headlined by President Obama, as well as Speaker Pelosi. "This is the moment in history when the Obama administration can either decide to keep their promises, or usher in one of the world’s greatest preventable tragedies. The United States needs to fully fund PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria”, said Jennifer Flynn, Managing Director of Health GAP.
World reknowned global AIDS leaders such as Zackie Achmat, from the Treatment Action Campaign, Wan Yan Hai the exiled AIDS doctor and activist from China, and ACT UP founder, Larry Kramer will be speaking at the rally in front of the $15,000 per person dinner in NYC on Thursday, May 13th at 5pm in front of the St. Regis Hotel,55th Street & 5th Avenue.
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