Church leaders urge G8 to fully fund AIDS pledges

By United Methodist News Service*

Pledges by the world's major economic powers to commit $60 billion to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis are commendable, but they must be translated into action, say United Methodist executives.

"The AIDS virus continues to affect millions of people who won't receive services or preventable education in spite of this funding," said Linda Bales, staff executive with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.

"The AIDS pandemic grows steadily worse," said the Rev. R. Randy Day, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. "Pledges need to be translated into action, promises into funds by the G8 nations and all other responsible countries and organizations."

Diseases kill 16,000 daily
The $60 billion total will still be only one-third of what the United Nations says is needed over the next five years to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Together, the diseases kill about 16,000 people each day.

U.N. estimates show that $192 billion is needed to address AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria from 2008 to 2012, and even more would be needed to improve health systems, according to a report from the Global AIDS Alliance. Of this $192 billion, $134 billion is needed for AIDS, $37 billion to fight TB (including extremely drug-resistant TB), and $21 billion to address malaria, a major killer of children and expectant mothers.

Representatives of United Methodist agencies attended the G8 summit June 6-8 in Germany. Members of the summit are Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada and Russia.

The $60 billion pledged represents "wonderful promises," Day said. "However, we cannot help but notice how slowly the eight major economic powers are moving in honoring their AIDS commitment, repeated over a number of years."

Day said he was glad the G8 continues to keep the issue of AIDS, particularly in Africa, before the world community. However, he said the G8 Summit of 2005 pledged $50 billion, or $12 billion per year, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and nothing near that has been made available.

The Bush administration has asked for $300 million from Congress for 2008 for the global fund for AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. This amount, along with $850 million approved by a House of Representatives committee, doesn't come close to the U.S. share based on the 2005 commitment, Day said.

President George W. Bush formally announced he is asking Congress for a $30 billion, five-year extension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The request doubles the amount previously pledged and will be spread over five years to assist impoverished countries, mainly in Africa, beginning in 2009.

"According to UNAIDS, currently 8,000 people die of the AIDS virus, while 12,000 acquire the virus every day worldwide," Bales said.

The president's plan will provide treatment to only 2.5 million people, or about 20 percent of the 12 million people expected to need treatment in 2013, Bales said.

Full amount needed
The Global AIDS Alliance, a partner organization with the church's social action agency, said the increase proposed by Bush is a misconception, since current levels of AIDS funding from the United States have been steadily increasing and would already reach $30 billion.

"A plan to really defeat AIDS, TB and malaria is still missing, yet that's what we must keep demanding of these leaders," said Dr. Paul Zeitz, executive director of the Global AIDS Alliance. "This is not an issue of 'more money is always needed when it comes to poverty.' Rather, the full amount is needed so that we can actually get ahead of these health crises, which pose a global threat."

For fiscal year 2008, Bush requested $5.4 billion for AIDS, which Congress seems likely to approve, Bales said. If the next phase of the U.S. global AIDS response simply held to this 2008 level over a five-year period, it would cost $27 billion, or nearly what the president proposed, she said.

"Of course, we welcome the president's support for action to address HIV/AIDS," Zeitz said June 8. "The U.S. program has done a lot of good, primarily in care for orphans and AIDS treatment, and today the president reaffirmed its continuation."

Ministries address AIDS
The United Methodist Church has many programs around the world working with people affected by HIV/AIDS.

The 2004 General Conference established the Global AIDS Fund in an effort to raise $8 million by 2008 - an amount roughly equivalent to every U.S. member of the church donating $1. The fund supports education, prevention, care and treatment programs for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Worldwide, more than 39 million people are infected with AIDS, and more than 25 million people have died from it since the disease came to public attention 25 years ago. The people of Africa have been especially impacted, with nearly 30 million people infected.

Day said The United Methodist Church has firsthand experience in dealing with AIDS in Africa and knows how serious the health threat is. "There is no time to lose."

Contributions to the Global HIV/AIDS Program may be sent through a local United Methodist church, annual conference or by mailing a check to Advance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068. Checks should be made to "Advance GCFA" and designated in the memo for Global HIV/AIDS Program, Advance #982345. Call (888) 252-6174 to give by credit card. More details are available at the Advance Web site (http://new.gbgm-umc.org/give/advance/).