EGPAF Applauds Bipartisan Support for Congressional Resolution to End AIDS in Children
Washington, D.C.—October 26, 2017—The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) applauds the introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral resolutions, “Recognizing the importance of a continued commitment to ending pediatric AIDS worldwide” by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA). These four members of Congress were joined by 27 bipartisan peers as original co-sponsors of the resolutions.
U.S. leadership, including the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has played the central role in ensuring that children are a priority in the global response to end AIDS. Since 2000, there has been an astonishing 70 percent decline in the number of new HIV infections in children worldwide, much of that due to America’s commitment. However, important work remains to end AIDS in children.
“I want to thank Senator Rubio, Senator Casey, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, and Congresswoman Lee for their continued leadership on this critical issue,” said Charles Lyons, EGPAF President and CEO. “The introduction of these resolutions puts a spotlight on children and the global AIDS response, but also the important role Congress plays in ensuring that the burden of AIDS is ended in children once and for all.”
Today, 400 children are newly infected with HIV daily, and only 43 percent of the 2.1 million children living with HIV have access to the medications they need to stay alive and healthy. It is vital that the momentum created through U.S. leadership is continued. With the right investment, the goal of ushering in an AIDS-free generation can be achieved.
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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF):
EGPAF is the global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/ AIDS and has reached more than 27 million pregnant women with services to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. It currently supports nearly 5,000 health facilities and works in 19 countries to implement prevention, care, and treatment services; to further advance innovative research; and to execute global advocacy activities that bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide. For more information, visit www.pedaids.org.
