Bush’s Vertical HIV Transmission Project Does Not Go Far Enough, Editorial Says

President Bush's plan to allocate $500 million to programs that aim to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission "shows that he is at least willing to keep the [HIV/AIDS] issue on the table," but helping prevent HIV infection in infants is "only one piece of the puzzle," a Providence Journal editorial states. The vertical transmission program would be administered by U.S. agencies rather than multilateral agencies such as the United Nations and would "test a single strategy for its effectiveness before committing" additional funding. The editorial states that President Bush's caution about implementation "appears over-abundant" because administering a vertical transmission prevention program "needn't be difficult." The editorial concludes, "What does need testing are ways to educate vulnerable populations, and to change attitudes toward the disease. ... In the face of this still unfolding disaster, Bush's modest commitment is better than none. But it is a baby step rather than the bold leap needed" (Providence Journal, 8/3).