Activists question Obama’s commitment to global AIDS epidemic

{mosads}The foundation is particularly upset about the 2,000 people on the waiting list for the domestic AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) that provides drugs to low-income Americans, and the $214 million cut — from $6.63 billion this year down to $6.42 billion — in the administration’s proposed FY2013 budget for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS (PEPFAR). The foundation wants the administration to immediately authorize the transfer of Health and Human Services Department funds to ADAP and restore PEPFAR funding to this year’s levels.

“Given this background, and given this late date,” Myers said, “AHF suggests that it may be better if the president not attend the conference, if he’s coming without any concrete proposals to fix these problems.”

The cuts come as the administration has been struggling to rein in the federal deficit while proposing a 57 percent increase in FY 2013 for the public-private Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The proposed $1.65 billion would help the United States meet its pledge of $4 billion over three years, but comes at the expense of funding for PEPFAR.