UNITED States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken has said his country has spent $100 billion to save more than 25 million lives affected by HIV/AIDS.
He spoke to mark the 20th anniversary of the George W. Bush announced the creation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
“Twenty years ago today, President George W. Bush announced the creation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since that historic announcement, the people of the United States provided more than $100 billion to save more than 25 million lives and contributed to the resilient public and community health systems for today and the future. Working with partner governments, multilateral and regional institutions, people living with HIV/AIDS, NGOs, and other stakeholders, we are confident that we can continue that progress and eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” he said.
Blinken added that with bipartisan support from the U.S. Congress and the generosity of the American people, PEPFAR has provided over 20.1 million people with life-saving HIV treatment in over 55 countries. “These efforts have built, and continue to build, a stronger health infrastructure in many countries, improving health security and responses to other health crises such as COVID-19, mpox, and Ebola,” he said.
According to him, progress in ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic can be easily reversed without focused, sustained, and equitable action.
He said: “We cannot achieve our goal to end HIV/AIDS as a global health threat if we deny people’s rights or if we allow stigmatization and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS or those who are most vulnerable to acquiring HIV. As President Biden declared on World AIDS Day 2022, “[W]e finally have the scientific understanding, treatments, and tools to build an AIDS-free future where everyone – no matter who they are, where they come from, or whom they love – can get the care and respect they deserve.” Our Administration is committed to ensuring all LGBTQI+ individuals are treated with dignity and respect, closing pernicious gender gaps, and ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. It is incumbent upon us to maintain progress, follow the science, and address disparities and inequitable access to achieve our shared goals,” he said.
He thanked the people across the world who have helped PEPFAR succeed over the previous twenty years and who are joining in recommitting to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Also, United States Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power said as at the beginning of the programme, though the first antiretroviral treatment that stopped AIDS from multiplying had been discovered over 15 years before, only 50,000 people across Africa could access this treatment.
“That year, more than two million died of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa alone – up to two out of every three AIDS-related deaths around the world.
“Since its launch, PEPFAR has evolved to become one of the world’s most critical global health initiatives. Led in part by USAID, the program works with other federal agencies, partner governments, private sector companies, philanthropies, multilateral organizations, civil society and faith-based organizations, and communities to provide lifesaving treatment for millions of infected patients. Thanks to the work of these partners as well as researchers, healthcare workers, and advocates around the world, the program has saved more than 25 million lives – helping to turn the tide against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.”
He went on: “These accomplishments are all cause for optimism – as is the fact that today, controlling the HIV epidemic remains entirely within reach. We must now focus on building on our progress – continuing to effectively engage with, and meet the needs of, the most affected populations, and working toward truly equitable access to HIV treatment and services. I’m grateful for the efforts of our dedicated staff and partners around the world, and for their continued commitment to the U.S. government’s goal of ending HIV as a public health threat by the end of the decade.”
