Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer Urge United States to Make $1B Donation to Global Health Fund
Stating that epidemic disease "kills millions, stymies social and economic growth, and leaves populations vulnerable to demographic leadership," a Boston Globe editorial urges the United States to "take a leadership role" in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by donating $1 billion to the United Nations' Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria for these diseases, diseases that combined kill more than 15,000 people a day (Boston Globe, 11/4). The editorial supports several congressional lawmakers who are currently circulating letters asking colleagues to call on President Bush to approve an additional $1 billion in emergency funding for the effort (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 10/17). According to Dr. Joanne Carter, legislative director of the health activist organization Results, $1 billion would be a "meaningful down payment" and would "help to ensure that public health workers" in developing countries can "treat and monitor TB patients in a way that protects against the development" of drug-resistant strains. Moreover, TB and HIV/AIDS are "inextricably linked," according to Dr. Lee Reichman, director of the New Jersey Medical School National Tuberculosis Center, as TB is the leading cause of death among HIV/AIDS patients worldwide. The editorial concludes, "Because of the war on terrorism at home and abroad, there are many new claims on the budget. But $1 billion is a small price to pay for a fund that will bring hope to some of the world's most troubled corners" (Boston Globe, 11/4).
More for Fund Will Benefit War on Terrorism
The United States has a "moral obligation to help other nations in need," and the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have resulted in additional reasons to contribute more money to the U.N. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial states. A contribution of $1 billion to the fund is "a good idea," the editorial says, noting that the war on terrorism will require the United States to "offer more proof that it is willing to use its good fortunes to promote world peace and prosperity." The editorial adds that on an "even more pragmatic level," contributing to the fund will help Pakistan, a "critical partner" in the military offensive in Afghanistan and a country with one of the highest TB rates in the world. The editorial concludes, "A significantly increased contribution to the AIDS fund sends a powerful message: Even now, as the United States leads the battle against terrorism, it also is committed to the world's war against deadly disease" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/5).