U.S. to spend $15b on HIV/AIDS in Africa and Caribbean. (Health).

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President George W. Bush surprised the world with his announcement that he will ask Congress to approve $15 billion in funds to battle AIDS in the hardest-hit countries in Africa and the Caribbean over the next five years. The announcement won praise form HIV/AIDS groups, who urge rapid action and is likely to encourage other nations to increase their contributions.

Bush outlined a plan that would provide:

* anti-retroviral drugs to 2 million Africans,

* prevent an estimated 7 million new HIV infections, and

* build social programs to assist the afflicted and the orphaned.

In his State of the Union address Bush cited statistics indicating the rapid rise of the disease in Africa, where 30 million have HIV and only 50,000 are getting the medicine they need.

Currently, the United States spends about $1.5 billion annually on domestic and international AIDS programs, a sum critics view as inadequate.

Bush proposes to nearly double the U.S. contribution to $2 billion, in 2004 "and ramp up thereafter." according to a White House fact sheet. About $1 billion of the $10 billion in new funding would go to the Global Fund.

The fund's executive director, Richard Feachem, has urged the United States to contribute $2.5 billion to $3 billion over the next two years. Washington has so far committed $500 million over two years.

The Global AIDS Alliance responded to Bush's pledge with tempered enthusiasm. Executive Director Paul Zeitz emphasized the program's need for immediate funding. "We are extremely concerned that the president's proposal may not include the amount health experts are saying is needed in 2003-2004 to ramp up the AIDS response now. And it is just as vital that this new plan not rob funds from other effective programs to assist poor countries--we need to see the details before we can be certain this is, in fact, new money." He added, "the United States has historically exaggerated its contribution to the worldwide AIDS effort."

Stephen Lewis, a U.N. special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, said the u.s. money can make a "huge difference" in Africa, where even "very small amounts of money can go a long way." But, he added, much more funding is required as many of the continent's populations are struggling to counter widespread misinformation, predatory male sexual behavior, gender oppression and high levels of gender inequality.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, elected U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson to chair its board, succeeding Chrispus Kiyonga of Uganda.