U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Chairman of International Justice and Peace and President of Catholic Relief Services Urge Continued Funding of U.S and Global HIV/AIDS Programs
WASHINGTON—On World AIDS Day, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Chair of the USCCB Committee
on International Justice and Peace, along with Sean Callahan, President and CEO
of Catholic Relief Services, urge full funding of U.S. and global HIV and AIDS
programs in the FY 2019 budget request. Their position was outlined in a letter
sent to the Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The letter to Director Mick Mulvaney coincides with World AIDS
Day, December 1, 2017. While
acknowledging that great strides have been made regarding the AIDS epidemic,
the letter emphasizes that any reduction in the funding of programs could have
catastrophic life-threatening implications.
In 2000, only 685,000 people had access to HIV
treatment. Today, roughly 21 million people have access to anti-retroviral
drugs (ARVs) and according to the Joint United Nations
Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the past six years has seen a reduction of 56
% in new infections in children in Eastern and Southern Africa and a 47 %
reduction worldwide.
Archbishop Broglio said, “At a moment when we are
finally witnessing great success in turning back a disease that shocked the
world only a generation ago, any cuts in funding would directly result in a
reduction in the number of people living with HIV who are added to treatment
each year, and could trigger a resurgence in the global epidemic.”
“Despite enormous gains, millions of lives still hang
in the balance”, says Sean Callahan. “This also extends to 16 million children
who have lost one or both parents due to AIDS related illnesses, and millions
more children who are vulnerable because the disease has contributed to
malnutrition, cognitive delays, stunting, lack of education or poor physical or
mental health.”
Their letter argues that it is critical the U.S.
government continue to fund the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to at least 2017 levels. “Although we have
principled concerns about those PEPFAR and Global Fund prevention activities we
find inconsistent with Catholic teaching and do not implement or advocate for
these activities, we support the lifesaving missions of PEPFAR and the Global
Fund and urge robust funding for both programs.”
The full text of the letter can be found here: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/global-issues/usccb-crs-letter-to-omb-director-mulvaney-re-hiv-aids-programs-2017-12-01.cfm.
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Keywords: Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archdiocese for
the U.S. Military Services. Committee on International Justice and Peace, Sean
Callahan, Catholic Relief Services, Director Mick Mulvaney, U.S. Office of
Management and Budget, U.S. global HIV/AIDS programs, Joint United Nations
Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), Eastern and
Southern Africa, U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR),
Global Fund.
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Judy Keane
202-541-3200
