On this December 1, 2011, we celebrate the 23rd anniversary of World AIDS Day. I say celebrate, because we have accomplished so much in the fight against this terrible disease, particularly in the last decade. However, much more remains to be done, and I stand committed to overcoming this disease, which has killed millions worldwide.
As one who has consistently cared about human dignity and human rights, I am pleased that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has an established legacy of bipartisan support. PEPFAR is dedicated to saving the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world, and it is driven by a shared responsibility among donor and partner nations and others to save lives.
The fight against HIV/AIS has been a long one. In more than 30 years, approximately 26 million people have died from AIDSe and there are 7,000 new infections every day. But our commitment to combating this disease is making important strides.
In the past decade, new HIV infections fell 25 percent in 33 countries, thanks in large part to making antiretroviral treatment available in even the remotest corners of Africa. However, while HIV/AIDS is the leading killer in Sub-Saharan Africa, and remains a focus of our PEPFAR activities, the largest regional increase in HIV prevalence is in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, particularly Russia and Ukraine.
The United States should be proud of its leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We account for nearly 60 percent of the international community’s assistance, and, from 2004 to 2010 we spent more than $26 billion on bilateral funding. Dedicated government experts from an array of U.S. agencies are involved in the fight. In fact, more than 20 percent of all Peace Corps projects are currently related to H
