In the Spirit of World AIDS Day
Meagan Miller
Issue date: 12/6/05 Section: OLExclusives
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Hopefully you have all seen the main quad transformed into a gigantic visual display for World AIDS Day (December 1), reminding you of this modern crisis. SUSHI, in an effort to make students aware of the AIDS pandemic, had spent the morning of December 1, 2005 covering the trees with red bands, each band representing about 1 million people living with AIDS. Today, about 40 million people live with this virus and about 8,500 people die daily from it. There is a shortage of health workers and supplies ranging from disposable gloves to necessary treatments for those who are infected. In particular, in Uganda there is a recognized need for the latest in textbook and electronic learning materials so that they can stay up-to-date with the virus. In response to these problems, many organizations are stepping up their game in efforts to keep up with this literally growing issue.
On the college level, student chapters of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and American Medical Student Association (AMSA) have collected medical supplies to send to the countries that need them, Africa as their primary target having the most cases and therefore the most shortages and the most need. It is estimated that at least $650 million is needed to strengthen the health services in Africa alone and PHR is calling on President Bush to give this needed amount. The money would go to increasing the salaries of health care workers, rebuilding the health infrastructure, and training for health workers to protect themselves from HIV while working as well as training for community health workers. The US Congress has approved $3 billion in AIDS funding for 2006, $550 million allocated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. However, the latter amount falls $600 million short from the initial amount suggested. PHR has addressed this issue by signing onto a coalition letter to Congress demanding for a greater amount to be added to the Global Fund as well as indicating the need for an Emergency Supplemental Bill, providing $150 million for basic services including HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care for those affected.
On the college level, student chapters of Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and American Medical Student Association (AMSA) have collected medical supplies to send to the countries that need them, Africa as their primary target having the most cases and therefore the most shortages and the most need. It is estimated that at least $650 million is needed to strengthen the health services in Africa alone and PHR is calling on President Bush to give this needed amount. The money would go to increasing the salaries of health care workers, rebuilding the health infrastructure, and training for health workers to protect themselves from HIV while working as well as training for community health workers. The US Congress has approved $3 billion in AIDS funding for 2006, $550 million allocated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. However, the latter amount falls $600 million short from the initial amount suggested. PHR has addressed this issue by signing onto a coalition letter to Congress demanding for a greater amount to be added to the Global Fund as well as indicating the need for an Emergency Supplemental Bill, providing $150 million for basic services including HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care for those affected.
