U.S. Senate Passes Lantos/Hyde AIDS, TB, and Malaria Bill
4 August 2008
On, July 30 , 2008, President George W. Bush signed H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 proving a significant day in the US Senate.
After months of intense debate and negotiations President Bush signed the act into public law. The $48 billion legislation enhances U.S. global AIDS programs through improved policies, formalizes the President’s Malaria Initiative and calls for increased commitment to stopping the spread of tuberculosis.
It triples America's budget for fighting AIDS and other diseases globally after having stalled for some time. The Senate voted 80-16 for the much-acclaimed program that has treated and protected millions in Africa and elsewhere from the scourges of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
UNAIDS, the UN´s global body that helps coordinate the fight against AIDS, states that two-thirds of the world's HIV-positive people live in sub-Saharan Africa, while malaria kills more than one million people every year. According to the World Health Organisation - 90% of the cases are in sub-Saharan Africa. The International Red Cross recently estimated that at least one in 10 people living in countries such as South Africa, Malawi and Mozambique are HIV-positive. In an earlier report this year, the WHO estimated that there were 14.4 million cases of tuberculosis worldwide in 2006.
The $48 billion measure renews the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which is set to expire in September.
Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has praised the bill for taking the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria “from the emergency phase to the sustainability phase.”
For more information please click here
