Combating AIDS; Bush administration sets new standard.COLUMN: IN OUR OPINION Behind the noisy headlines about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the rising costs of energy, and the approaching presidential election, the Bush administration has quietly been going about making good on an unprecedented commitment to combat the global scourge of AIDS. AIDS, which has claimed about 25 million lives in the quarter-century since the epidemic began, remains a leading cause of death in many African nations, where victims succumb suc·cumb intr.v. suc·cumbed, suc·cumb·ing, suc·cumbs 1. To submit to an overpowering force or yield to an overwhelming desire; give up or give in. See Synonyms at yield. 2. To die. to malaria, tuberculosis and other ailments that take advantage of weakened immune systems immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. . In his 2003 State of the Union address “State of the Union” redirects here. For other uses, see State of the Union (disambiguation). The State of the Union is an annual address in which the President of the United States reports on the status of the country, normally to a joint session of Congress (the , Bush pledged an unprecedented effort to combat AIDS. The resulting $15 billion program has provided anti-retroviral drugs to 1.7 million people and supported the medical care of another 7 million. Beginning in 2004, the U.S. reversed its policy of not purchasing generic AIDS drugs, a simple but effective move that has stretched its aid dollars and meant longer and better lives for many of the disease's victims. In 2007, the U.S. accounted for one-fifth of all AIDS funding in the world. With the current program set to expire this fall, the House recently voted to triple the nation's commitment, approving a $48 billion, five-year plan Five-Year Plan, Soviet economic practice of planning to augment agricultural and industrial output by designated quotas for a limited period of usually five years. to carry on the fight. The plan includes money for orphans, aims to prevent 12 million new HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. infections, treat 2 million people with anti-retroviral drugs, and train 140,000 new health care workers. Amid scandal, war and constant political bickering bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. , it is easy to lose sight of the fact that government can still be a force for good. The Bush administration's leadership on AIDS, a disease that once dominated the headlines, is likely to stand as one of its finest chapters. |
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