*EPF308 07/21/2004
Text: Leach Calls AIDS "Biggest Public Challenge of Our Time"
(Infections in Asia will outnumber those in Africa soon) (1060)

"AIDS is the biggest public challenge and foreign policy issue of our time," according to Representative James A. Leach, chairman of the House International Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

During a July 21 hearing on HIV/AIDS in Asia, Leach called AIDS "the greatest health crisis in human history" and noted that it has already killed more people than the infamous bubonic plague of the 14th century, which took 20 million lives.

Although Africa has gotten much public attention for the prevalence of the disease there, to date, about 20% of those living with HIV/AIDS live in Asia, Leach said.

One in four new HIV infections in the world in 2003 occurred in Asia, he added, leading experts to believe that Asia will have more people with HIV in 2010 than the roughly 30 million in sub-Saharan Africa today.

"Even if Asia avoids high infection rates," Leach pointed out, "health experts stress that a low prevalence rate in a large country -- such as China or India -- can spell disaster and have major ripple effects through the region." He noted that Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia have the highest rates of HIV infection anywhere outside Africa.

"In this circumstance, complacency is not an option," he said.

The United States, Leach said, "has a compelling national interest in working with others to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and care for the victims of this dread disease.

"Infectious diseases, like HIV/AIDS, know no borders," he observed. "The opportunity to do something about this deadly scourge offers a coincidence of self-interest and moral imperative."

Following is the full text of the chairman's statement:

(begin text)

Statement by Representative James A. Leach
Chairman, Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
Hearing on HIV/AIDS in Asia
July 21, 2004

On behalf of the Subcommittee, I would like to welcome our distinguished witnesses to today's hearing on the challenge of HIV/AIDS in Asia. We appreciate your participation and look forward to your assessment of the scope of the problem as well as prospects for comprehensive prevention and treatment of the disease throughout the region.

Parenthetically, I would like to note how pleased we are that the Chinese authorities have decided to release the well-known surgeon Dr. Jiang Yanyong. Dr. Jiang became a national hero in China last year for his efforts to expose a cover-up of the true scope of the SARS epidemic by authorities in Beijing. Subsequently, Dr. Jiang was taken into custody for his appeal to China's leaders for a reappraisal of the tragic events in Tiananmen Square during June 1989. I understand that Dr. Jiang has indicated he will now focus his efforts on combating HIV/AIDS. We wish him all the best in this important endeavor.

Turning to the subject of our hearing, AIDS is the biggest public challenge and foreign policy issue of our time. On the plus side, on a bipartisan and bi-institutional basis the U.S. government has provided more than one half of AIDS assistance to the world; on the minus side, it is probably one tenth of what is necessary.

The stark reality is that the world today is confronted with the greatest health crisis in human history. The latest figures released by UNAIDS show that approximately 40 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2003, including two and a half million children under the age of fifteen. Worldwide, there are an astounding 14,000 new infections daily, with more than 95% in the developing world.

Perspective is always hard to apply to events of the day. For example, if one was to look at the 14th century, one would be hard pressed not to conclude that the most important event of that time was the bubonic plague during which 20 million died. With regard to AIDS that awesome death number was reached several years ago, and within a decade, the toll could be a multiple of that figure. In a circumstance in which the HIV/AIDS pandemic is destabilizing entire societies, it is self-evident that discovering techniques to eradicate this deadly disease is the most important health science challenge ever.

As highlighted by the 15th international AIDS conference in Bangkok last week, several countries in Asia and the Pacific are at a critical point in their efforts to curb the spread of HIV. The virus is devastating high-risk groups and making inroads into the general population. To date, about 20% of those living with HIV/AIDS live in Asia, while one in four new HIV infections in the world in 2003 occurred in the region.

Based on these trends, experts believe that Asia will have more people with HIV in 2010 than the roughly 30 million in sub-Saharan Africa today. While the scale of Asia's epidemic is not as great as Africa's, the virus is just beginning to take hold. Today, no Asian country has reported a prevalence rate higher than 4%, and relatively few prenatal clinics have found infection rates above 1% -- the standard measure for a generalized epidemic. By contrast, half a dozen African countries now have adult prevalence rates of 10% or more; nevertheless, without a massive public commitment to education and prevention in Asia, comparable problems could occur.

Even if Asia avoids high infection rates, however, health experts stress that a low prevalence rate in a large country - such as China or India -- can spell disaster and have major ripple effects through the region. Meanwhile, Burma, Thailand, and Cambodia have the highest rates of HIV infection anywhere outside Africa. In this circumstance, complacency is not an option.

It is clear that the U.S. has a compelling national interest in working with others to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and care for the victims of this dread disease. Infections diseases, like HIV/AIDS, know no borders. Millions of Americans travel and live abroad. Many in this country live with this disease in their own families. The opportunity to do something about this deadly scourge offers a coincidence of self-interest and moral imperative. Out of a sense of self-preservation for mankind itself, if not simply a humanitarian concern for those currently affected, this disease must be eradicated, whatever the cost.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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