U.S. in 2005 Increased Grants To Provide ARVs to HIV-Positive People in Developing Countries, Report Says
The U.S. in 2005 provided antiretroviral drugs to 471,000 people in developing countries, increasing the number of people who have access to the treatment, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a government report scheduled to be released on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reports. The U.S. aims to increase that number to 860,000 people in fiscal year 2006 and to 1.3 million in FY 2007, provided Congress approves President Bush's proposed $4 billion budget for international HIV/AIDS programs. By comparison, 50,000 HIV-positive people in Africa had access to antiretrovirals three years ago, according to official statistics, the Journal reports. U.S. officials hope that the report, which highlights Bush's focus on HIV/AIDS programs that promote abstinence and being faithful, will help to "quiet some of the controversy" surrounding HIV-prevention efforts under the Bush administration, which many activists say are ideologically motivated, the Journal reports. U.S. officials believe the report will encourage Congress to approve Bush's budget and spur other developed countries to increase their funding for global HIV/AIDS programs (Phillips, Wall Street Journal, 2/8). U.S. grants in 2005 also paid for palliative care for nearly three million HIV-positive people in 15 countries, an increase from 1.7 million in FY 2004, according to the report (Wall Street Journal, 2/8).
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