Hilary Clinton's response to AIDS

[Guest guest]

I thank Senator Clinton for her rather lengthy response to a letter I wrote

regarding HIV/AIDS funding. Many aspects of her commentary are extremely

laudable and other legislators should be as seriously involved in this

global pandemic.

Particularly, I was heartened to see her commentary on debt relief (a more

nuanced approach that I think makes more sense than simply cancelling the

debt--i.e., tying it to HIV/AIDS services) as well as in opposing

WB/IMF-imposed user fees.

Despite the detail, a key point was not addressed. Specifically, what role

if any she will play in assuring access to the lowest priced drugs, whether

proprietary or generic. This particularly relevant to the UNAIDS fund to

which she refers and which she supports (as do I). Although, many of us are

deeply concerned about the potential for it being transformed into a slush

fund for pharmaceutical interests.

Do people have other comments on this interesting letter, pro or con, that

they would like to share?

I have cc'd this email to Senator Clinton.

M.

Director, FIAR

62 Sterling Pl., Suite 2

Brooklyn, NY 11217

________________________________________

From: <Senator@...>

<gmc0@...>

Subject: your message

Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:54:21 -0500

March 11, 2002

Dear Mr. :

I received the e-mail you sent to my office, and I am responding to let

you know how much I share your grave concern for the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The rapid spread of HIV/AIDS and its devastating consequences pose a

threat not only to the United States, but also to the interests of peace

and prosperity throughout the world. As I am certain you know, in the

past two decades, nearly 60 million people in the world have been infected

by HIV and more than 20 million women, men and children have died of AIDS.

15,000 new cases are added each day. I strongly agree that the United

States must play a role in eradicating this global threat, and I have been

working very hard to pursue that goal.

In my role as First Lady and now as the Senator from New York, I have and

continue to press for bold and creative steps to confront this health

menace. These steps include action to improve hospice, palliative, and

treatment services to help bring relief to the millions of people

worldwide who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. In addition, I see domestic

and international cooperation as essential in efficiently and successfully

combating this growing crisis.

As part of my efforts to achieve the objectives outlined in your e-mail,

last year I joined Senator Bill Frist in introducing the Global Leadership

in Developing an Expanded Response (GLIDER) Act. This legislation seeks

to improve the collaboration between the Departments of State, Health and

Human Services, Labor, Defense and other agencies to aggressively address

the international HIV/AIDS crisis. This coordinated approach will expand

and improve care, provide assistance to AIDS orphans and families as well

as assist in development of infrastructure. Additionally, the bill

provides for establishment and implementation of The Coverdell Health

Care Corps. This program for health care professionals would be modeled

after, and coordinated with, the Peace Corps and would mobilize volunteers

to offer their services in countries affected by HIV/AIDS as well as

tuberculosis and malaria. The bill also provides for the Overseas Private

Investment Corporation (OPIC) to initiate a pilot program to study the

feasibility and desirability of a program to assist with the development

of the health care infrastructure in countries receiving aid under the

GLIDER initiative. To further encourage and benefit from the coordinated

efforts promoted in this legislation, the bill would establish both a

database to facilitate coordination and accountability as well as a task

force to ensure broad level policy discussion among the various agencies

involved.

To address your specific call for more funding for these efforts, I want

you to know that I am an original co-sponsor of the Senate resolution that

supports the formation of a Global AIDS and Health Fund. This proposal

calls upon the United States government to provide greater sums of money

for this fund at the same time that it urges other nations, international

organizations and the private sector to provide assistance for the Global

Fund.

Many of the countries most severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic

labor under the burden of great international debt. As a strong advocate

of linking international debt relief to efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, I

believe that the United States should offer both the assistance debtor

nations need to determine if they are eligible for international debt

relief programs and technical assistance in filing their Poverty Reduction

Strategy Papers with the IMF/World Bank. Additionally, I propose that the

U.S. use its influence with both the IMF and the World Bank to ensure that

debtor nations allocate a significant proportion of debt relief funds for

HIV/AIDS response. Further, the United States should vote against any

proposal in the World Bank or IMF debt relief programs that would include

user fees or service charges for primary education or primary health care

relief, including prevention and treatment efforts for HIV/AIDS.

Finally, I would like to share with you a word about the system in my

Senate office for processing e-mail. Because of the size of my New York

State constituency, the great numbers who write, and my desire to be

responsive to my constituents, I have chosen an e-mail webform system to

be the most efficient and fair method to evaluate and process e-mail

messages sent to me. I ask you to help me in trying to be responsive by

using the webform available on my Senate webpage at

http://clinton.senate.gov when you wish to communicate with me next

through e-mail, including any response that you may wish to send to this

e-mail message. Your thoughts and concerns are very important to me and I

hope that you will continue to share with me your ideas on the many

important issues being discussed by the United States Senate.

The profound human tragedy of HIV/AIDS has already exacted an incalculable

emotional and economic toll on civilization. Thank you for your active

support for the leadership and resources needed. Hearing from you

reinforces my commitment to tackle this rapidly spreading threat to our

nation and the entire global population.

Sincerely yours,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

http://clinton.senate.gov

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