PEPFAR 2013 Stewardship and Oversight Act Shows US Government’s Commitment to the Fight Against HIV
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Racine Tucker-Hamilton, 202-448-8456, rtuckerhamilton@pedaids.org
Johanna Harvey, 202-280-1657,jharvey@pedaids.org
PEPFAR 2013 Stewardship and Oversight Act Shows U.S. Government’s Commitment to the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Statement of Charles Lyons, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
September 26, 2013 — Washington, D.C. — “The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) welcomes the introduction of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Stewardship and Oversight Act of 2013 in the U.S. Congress. This legislation demonstrates the U.S. government’s long-standing, bi-partisan commitment to combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide through programs such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. We want to thank Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Bob Corker (R-TN) along with Reps. Ed Royce (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Barbara Lee (D-CA) for their leadership and dedication to U.S. global HIV/AIDS programs. As long-term partners and implementers of PEPFAR-supported programs, we know firsthand the incredible progress the program has made to fight HIV/AIDS since 2003.
The fight against global HIV/AIDS must continue. The release of the UNAIDS Global Report this week reminds us that while we are making incredible gains, there is much work to be done. Each day, 700 children are born HIV-positive and without treatment, 80 percent of them will die before they reach their fifth birthday. However, only 34 percent of eligible HIV-positive children current have access to treatment they need to remain healthy.
We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to strengthen and sustain the PEPFAR program.”
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About the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation:
EGPAF is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV/AIDS, and has reached more than 17 million women with services to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. It currently works at more than 6,800 sites and in 15 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.
