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"The CIA considers HIV/AIDS to be the greatest threat, estimating that by 2020 it will be responsible for over half of all deaths from infectious disease in the developing world…"
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HIV/AIDS, This Real Terror:
Bahama Journal Editorial -
Nassau, Bahamas:


While most of us sleep, HIV/AIDS continues its deadly course throughout the world. Hardest hit is Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Thereafter, we find the Caribbean, inclusive of Haiti and our own Bahamas.

The lash inflicted by this scourge currently threatens the national security interests of great states like the United States of America.

As we have learned, "The CIA considers HIV/AIDS to be the greatest threat, estimating that by 2020 it will be responsible for over half of all deaths from infectious disease in the developing world…"

As that agency notes, "HIV presents a threat in both the former Soviet Union and Asia, but sub-Saharan Africa is the most vulnerable region. With around 10 percent of the world's population, this area accounts for half of all deaths from infectious diseases, primarily malaria and HIV/AIDS.

"New and re-emerging infectious diseases will pose a rising global health threat and will complicate US and global security over the next 20 years. These diseases will endanger US citizens at home and abroad, threaten US armed forces deployed overseas, and exacerbate social and political instability in key countries and regions in which the United States has significant interests."

One such arena happens to be the one where we live.

This was recognized as a pressing policy issue some eight years ago.

That is to say, in that era when one William Jefferson Clinton happened to be President of the United States of America.

There is evidence to support the conclusion that President Clinton did then indicate that, "the major powers are increasingly approaching the AIDS crisis in Africa, Asia and the former Soviet Union as a security issue, rather than a public health problem to be tackled by curative and preventative measures."

His successor in office, George W. Bush, is to be both thanked and praised for taking up the challenge implicit in the CIA analysis of the importance of the matter concerning HIV/AIDS.

In this regard, we note that, "The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR, is a five-year, $15 billion American Government initiative to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic."

In May 2003, the US Congress approved, and President Bush signed into law, the "United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003".

This legislation approved expenditure of up to $15 billion over 5 years and it provides the legal and policy framework for the expenditure.

That money has been well spent and well received.

We can note also that, "After visiting the world's oldest AIDS clinic and meeting HIV-positive Haitians, US first lady Laura Bush on Thursday urged lawmakers to approve tens of billions of dollars more to combat the disease."

"As we speak, the second reauthorization of PEPFAR is being discussed in the US Congress," Mrs. Bush said, referring to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

The program was launched by President Bush in 2003 to provide support programs and drugs in 15 countries -- 12 in Africa plus Vietnam, Guyana and Haiti -- to treat people infected with HIV.

We can also report that, "Bush has asked Congress to approve a doubling of funds to combat the disease globally to $30 billion over five years, starting next year. Haiti is due to receive about $100 million in PEPFAR funding in the year ending September 30."

We also know that the US Senate is now debating a law that would increase the global figure to $50 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis during the next five years.

This is one of this president’s real foreign policy successes.

This might well explain why during a trip to Africa last month, this decidedly unpopular president was given a hero's welcome. This was so because of the big part he has played in providing much needed malaria and AIDS programs.

AIDS activists worldwide have praised PEPFAR for getting life-extending drugs to people who otherwise would go without them.

This also happens to be the case in our region; a place where HIV/AIDS is one of those terrors that terrorizes us all.

Impoverished Haiti is the Caribbean country most affected by HIV/AIDS. The disease is fueled by poverty and high illiteracy rates which make it tougher to teach about safe sex.

And even more to the point, we note and conclude with the proposition that such is the closeness and intimacy of blood bonds and human between Haiti and the Bahamas that whatever helps one set of people, also helps all others who live in or visit this country.

March 17, 2008

March 17, 2008 | 5:31 PM Comments  1 comments

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Comments

bumbuwazed Kahendi
March 18, 2008 | 2:48 AM

interesting. thanks for putting this up.
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