A group of 75 Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. House are showing strong support in the fight against HIV/AIDS through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Leading the lawmakers is U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and New York’s Mike Lawler, who penned a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy Ambassador Dr. John N. Nkengasong which highlighted the initiative’s long track record of success in reducing deaths, improving maternal health, preventing instability and generating economic development.
“We enthusiastically endorse PEPFAR’s reauthorization, which benefits from strong bipartisan support,” the lawmakers wrote. “We also support the Administration’s commitment to ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”
The lawmakers support PEPFAR reauthorization and made clear their commitment to combat mother-to-child HIV transmission. Their letter highlighted how robust investments in PEPFAR, which was established under former President George W. Bush, reduce political instability, increase economic development and prevent violence in focus countries.
The letter continued: “40 percent of the world’s population will be African by the end of the century, and our strategic competitors are investing comprehensively in the region. We know that the PEPFAR program remains one of our most potent soft power assets on this front.”
“Millions of lives have been saved as a result of the remarkable and visionary work of PEPFAR, however, critical gaps remain to achieve HIV/AIDS epidemic control and prevent the vicious cycle of mother-to-child transmission. We are heartened by this bipartisan support for mothers with HIV and their babies in Africa,” Dr. Jon Fielder, Co-Founder, Chief Executive, & Board Vice-Chair and Mark Gerson, Co-Founder & Board Chair, Africa Mission HealthCare, said. “Because of the incredible leadership of all these members, led by Reps. Spanberger, Lawler, and Hoyle, along with Senator Cassidy and 19 bipartisan members of the Senate — PEPFAR can effectively design and implement clinical programs that will provide millions of mothers and babies a safe pregnancy and the delivery of a healthy baby. We are always proud to be Americans — and this letter and what it represents articulates one of the most powerful reasons why.”
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Rebecca Barnabi
