House Committee Passage of PEPFAR Reauthorization an “Important Bipartisan Step Toward Expanding Prevention and Treatment for Children and Families;” Full House Should Move Toward Swift Passage of Bill
2/28/2008
Contact: Robert Yule
202.448.8456
ryule@pedaids.org
Statement of Pamela W. Barnes, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The House Foreign Affairs Committee vote yesterday to reauthorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is an important bipartisan step toward expanding the nation’s response to the global AIDS pandemic. PEPFAR is saving millions of lives and projecting Americans’ compassion and commitment to the distant corners of the world. This bill would extend and expand that critical work.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a leader in the global fight against pediatric AIDS, working at more than 2,300 sites in 18 countries, and the largest provider of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services under PEPFAR. It is especially good news that the reauthorization bill recognizes the importance of expanding treatment for children and access to services for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. The bill includes provisions establishing two five-year targets for the program – first, that 15 percent of those receiving treatment under PEPFAR be children, consistent with the infection rate; and second, that 80 percent of pregnant women in the most affected countries receive HIV counseling and testing and, where necessary, antiretroviral treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission. Both are important goals that recognize the impact of the AIDS crisis on children and women.
The authorization of $50 billion for the U.S. global AIDS effort is an extremely important addition to the program, allowing it to sustain its current reach and to continue to expand both the full scope of prevention services and support to those receiving lifesaving care and treatment. The legislation also promises to help extend our reach to more mothers, children, and families by making operations research – determining best practices and evidence-based solutions – a higher priority. Such a provision would improve the accountability and efficiency of the program, and maximize the lifesaving impact of PEPFAR dollars. Replacing the requirement that one-third of PEPFAR prevention dollars be spent on abstinence-until-marriage programs with a more flexible directive to provide balanced funding for prevention activities is also a move in the right direction. Arbitrary set-asides limit the ability of those on the frontlines of the pandemic to respond to the most pressing needs of their countries and communities.
I congratulate Acting Chairman Howard Berman and the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their important bipartisan work on this bill, and urge the full House to move swiftly toward passage.
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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. Its innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international prevention and treatment programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide.