President Obama's commitment to an AIDS-free generation (and how tomake it happen)
SOURCE:* Huffington Post*
AUTHOR: Chris Collins
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Fellow Advocate!!!
In 10 years, will we look back on President Obama's 2011 World AIDS Day
speech and see it as a turning point in the AIDS pandemic, or cringe at the
lost opportunity of a singular moment? The president's December 1 speech
could be pivotal, but only if it is followed by changes in how we tackle
global AIDS. Why was the Obama speech important?
The president declared that "we can end this pandemic," calling out the
enormous potential following 18 months of startling scientific progress on
AIDS. He laid out ambitious new targets for delivery of effective
interventions, which, if accomplished, could substantially reduce rates of
HIV infection and mortality. And in setting those targets, Obama signaled a
renewed U.S. commitment to funding for global AIDS programs at a time when
resources at home are constrained and other countries are backing away from
the fight.
Now it's time to plot a course for implementing the president's vision. We
need to act quickly to take advantage of reinvigorated leadership, aligning
resources for tangible impact. Four things are critical to success and
deserve immediate attention: strategic decision-making, increased funding,
balancing global targets with attention to the most vulnerable, and
research... Finally, as always, research is essential to success. It's
possible to begin to end the AIDS epidemic now, but it won't truly be over
without a cure and a vaccine. Research is also crucial to better understand
how to implement interventions in combination, to improve HIV diagnostic
and treatment options, and to successfully link newly diagnosed individuals
to care and treatment.
We have entered a time of huge promise in the AIDS epidemic, but with it
exists the very real threat that we will squander this opportunity by
under-investing or failing to use money wisely. Now is the time for
governments rich and poor, donors, providers, researchers, and advocates to
find new resources -- and make smarter use of them -- to beg in to end the
most deadly epidemic of our time.
Thanks for reading through and I hope President Obama remembers his
promises to ensuring an AIDS free generation