30 November 2001

Powell Announces Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria

By Susan Ellis
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The United States has declared its "collective resolve to stem the worldwide AIDS pandemic," Secretary of State Colin Powell told audiences in Port-au-Prince, Kigali, Lilongwe, and Port of Spain taking part in a November 29 "Dialogue" television program.

"I am proud that my country is playing a leading role in creating a new global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria," Powell continued. The program was broadcast via the U.S. Department of State's Worldnet television service.

"President Bush has pledged $200 million in seed money for the fund. More will follow. And next year, through a combination of bilateral assistance programs, and our support for UNADIS (the Italian organization L'Unione Nazionale dei Dirigenti dello Stato) and other international research, the United States will contribute an additional $500 million to the battle against AIDS."

Referring to this year's World AIDS Day, December 1, Powell said the theme is "'I Care -- Do You?' The answer of President Bush and the American people is a resounding yes. We care and we are taking action -- here at and home and within the international community."

President Bush has named Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson and Powell to coordinate domestic and international efforts to quell AIDS. In that capacity, Powell said, "We look forward to working closely with our counterparts throughout the world."

Dr. Jack Chow, deputy assistant secretary of state for health and science in the Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, responded to a participant in Port-au-Prince regarding implementation of the fund.

"A central tenet of the global fund ... has as its core a collaboration between donor countries, developing countries, the private sector and NGOs," Chow said. "The United States and the international community are now engaged in a large negotiation in Brussels to establish the global fund as soon as possible, to assemble the resources that are necessary to confront the three diseases.

"As part of that effort, we are in very intricate collaboration with donor countries and developing countries to come up with a system that is coordinated and fair."

"One goal of the United States government is to make sure that we get those funds on the ground just as soon as possible," added Scott Evertz, director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.

Throughout his career, Evertz has worked in organizations providing people with HIV and AIDS with housing, rehabilitation, and hospice care.

A Haitian participant remarked: "It's easy to get antiretroviral drugs now, but it's difficult for Haiti. Therefore, does the United States plan to work with pharmaceutical companies to offer a generic version so that access will become easier?"

Evertz said the United States has "actively engaged" its partners in industry, including the pharmaceutical companies. "We will continue to struggle through the issues that surround the disbursement of commodities and of the life-saving drugs, so that we can do that in a way that protects and preserves the right of those companies who developed the drugs, while also doing what we need to do to save lives in places such as Port-au-Prince in Haiti," he said.

Chow noted: "It is not only the provision of physical materials [that is needed], but people capital -- people who are committed and trained to be care providers. And to that end the global fund will be supportive."

On a question concerning antiretroviral drugs, a woman asked how effective they are for mothers who are pregnant.

"The latest scientific evidence suggests that they are effective in suppressing the virus in those that are infected; and that also translates into greater protection for the fetus," said Chow.

Evertz added: "The medications that prevent mother-to-child transmission are actually quite inexpensive at this point. So the additional cost of treating the child is nominal really. So it's something that we really need to be addressing."

On a vaccine for AIDS, Chow noted that the United States is intensifying its research efforts to create an AIDS vaccine in conjunction with U.S. industry. "The president has included in his budget a significant amount of money towards vaccine research, the basic science and the development of vaccines that takes advantage of our industrial capabilities," he said.

Evertz said he has "witnessed first-hand the classic American spirit of competition in terms of the various entities, organizations, corporations that are speedily trying to be the first to come up with the vaccine. So in this case we obviously -- we hope the best company wins, and wins quickly in that race."