AIDS-free generation within reach
Lewis DiuguidHealth and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is to be commended for saying the goal of an AIDS-free generation is within reach.
The former governor of Kansas spoke Sunday at the opening session of the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. Great strides have been made in the fight against AIDS since it first surfaced in 1981 as a mysterious killer.
Anti-AIDS drugs have helped people live near normal lives. Also, people have benefited from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, instituted under President George W. Bush. Continued funding of such programs is a must.
Budget cuts can’t happen in the fight against AIDS. In the United States, 1.2 million Americans are HIV positive, and nearly half are African American and women. About 34 million people worldwide are infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
About $17 billion a year is spent on the treatment and prevention of AIDS. The goal is for that amount to increase by several more billions of dollars per year.
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