|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Commentary
The Washington Times
April 6, 2003
USAID Announces New Initiative to Fight HIV/AIDS
I lived almost six years in sub-Saharan Africa, first as a missionary, then as a tent-maker. In Zimbabwe, I worked with a missionary group, Scripture Union, advocating abstinence among young people as an important way to avoid HIV infection. In those years, the HIV/AIDS pandemic was just developing its foothold in Southern Africa. We knew that the success of our abstinence strategy could save many lives.
To do this, we promoted a faith-based curriculum that was so popular that public and private schools across the country sought us out to talk to their students. We taught girls and young women that they did not have to accept the propositions of older men. We taught boys and young men that they had responsibilities for themselves, their sisters and their friends.
In hundreds of classrooms in some of the poorest areas of Zimbabwe, I saw eyes light up as these boys and girls realized there were real opportunities to protect themselves and others from AIDS.
Today, as assistant administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development for global health, I have been charged by President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios to help fight the war against HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe and other countries hard hit by this deadly virus.
The challenge is enormous. More than 40 million people around the world have HIV, and entire populations remain vulnerable to the havoc of AIDS. Today, we are applying the lessons I learned in the slums of Harare and the rural villages of Kenya to USAID's programs. USAID's HIV/AIDS programs now focus on promoting abstinence and delaying the onset of sexual activity, and, when appropriate, the use of condoms.
There is strong evidence these "behavior change" programs are working. In Uganda, where HIV prevalence rates have gone from 15 percent to 5 percent, USAID's analysis has shown that abstinence education and the involvement of faith-based organizations have been among the keys to reducing infection levels. We are also seeing similar trends beginning to emerge in Zambia and perhaps even South Africa.
The Bush administration is promoting a balanced ABC approach toward HIV/AIDS prevention, meaning Abstinence, Be Faithful/Behavior Change, and (if necessary) use a Condom. This approach was developed based on the success story of Uganda.
Although we can document the success of this policy, it has provoked great debate in the international public health community, which for many years emphasized condom distribution over behavior-change programs.
We cannot win this international war against AIDS without much broader partnerships with faith and community-based organizations. The host-country faith- and community-based organizations know their communities and are important to provide cultural sensitivity and cohesiveness with their communities.
The Bush administration and USAID will work diligently to ensure that taxpayer money will go only to approved and appropriate activities with all of our partners.
In fact, USAID has a long history of working with faith-based organizations. Since its inception in 1961, USAID has done more work than any other federal agency with religious groups such as Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse and others. Today, fully 25 percent of USAID's partners are faith-based organizations.
As the Bush administration emphasizes the success of the ABC approach to fighting HIV/AIDS, we must also build on our past achievements in partnerships with NGOs and host countries.
One achievement is our relationship with the business sector. We have developed strong partnerships with many companies, bringing in private dollar action side by side to support public programs.
The Bush administration and USAID will work diligently to ensure that taxpayer money will go to the most appropriate and effective activities with all of our partners.
Although the United States is the world's largest provider of technical and monetary HIV/AIDS assistance, we do not provide the majority of funds to fight this terrible pandemic. Other donor nations, and international institutions and host countries also provide important resources.
Moving only our programs toward a balanced approach toward abstinence and behavior change is not enough. We ask that concerned conservatives join us and become vigorous and active participants in the international fight against HIV/AIDS.
We must have the opportunity to bring the rest of the world along if we are to defeat HIV/AIDS by showing that a balanced ABC approach has a scientifically supported base as well as being the right thing to do.
In this important battle, the voices of those concerned and people of faith are now being heard. The Bush administration is listening and has been and will be taking action, but international organizations and other donor countries need to be sensitized to our scientifically proven methods. That can only happen if conservatives become vigorous and constructive participants in the public policy debate.
USAID is committed to reaching out beyond our traditional partners to find able and creative organizations, particularly those that are faith-based and are committed to abstinence and other behavior change programs.
Behavior change and abstinence can save lives. I was part of it in Zimbabwe eight years ago, and we are seeing it in Uganda and elsewhere today. When these programs are paired with our other successful activities, we will begin to win the war against HIV/AIDS.
E. Anne Peterson is a medical doctor with a specialty in public health and preventive medicine and is assistant administrator for global health at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
© 2003 News World Communications, Inc. Reprinted with permission of The Washington Times.
For more information, please visit The Washington Times website at http://www.washingtontimes.com
 |
|||
|
