Here we go again. Repeat after me : SILENCE = DEATH
A number of national HIV/AIDS groups have accused the GOP of ignoring AIDS in America, noting that neither Republican candidate mentioned domestic AIDS from the convention stage, nor is there a mention of the epidemic in the party’s platform.
On the brighter side, their silence might be considered progress made since their 1992 New Orleans convention when Republican counter-demonstrators confronted AIDS activists from ACT UP with chants and banners proclaiming “AIDS is not a disease, it’s a cure.”
From 356Gay.com :
(Washington) HIV/AIDS groups are accusing Republican presidential candidate John McCain of ignoring the growing rate of new HIV cases in the US.
The Republican National Convention concluded last week with no mention of the domestic AIDS epidemic and only passing reference to the epidemic overseas. Neither McCain nor his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, mentioned AIDS in their remarks to convention delegates.
The Republican Convention was held one month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new estimates indicating that the HIV infection rate in the United States is 40 percent higher than previously thought.
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“John McCain must commit to developing a national AIDS strategy for the U.S. designed to reduce the HIV infection rate and increase access to AIDS treatment,” said David Munar, President of the National Association of People Living with HIV (NAPWA).
“Striving for progress against HIV/AIDS in the U.S. is a non-partisan issue all Americans can and should get behind,” said Rebecca Haag, the executive director of the AIDS Action Council.
“The next President has an important opportunity to build on the lessons of our international response to AIDS and achieve better outcomes in the epidemic at home. AIDS remains one of the most serious public health challenges facing our nation. As we begin to debate broader healthcare reform, including stronger prevention efforts, we should look at how programs like PEPFAR can provide a model for how to effectively address HIV/AIDS in our own country. With better planning, implementation and accountability, the U.S. can, and indeed must, make better progress,” said Haag.
The absence of discussion about the domestic AIDS epidemic at the GOP convention was in contrast to the Democratic convention held the previous week. At that convention, former President Bill Clinton called for “a renewal of the battle against HIV and AIDS here at home.”
Elsewhere, the New York Times recently ran an opinion piece, The Real Numbers on H.I.V., and called on Federal officials to “redouble their efforts to lower the rate of new infections.”
From the New York Times :
While the Bush administration has shown leadership in the fight against global AIDS, committing billions of dollars, domestic spending has been essentially flat. The C.D.C. spends some $750 million a year to prevent new infections. That effort has helped hold the number of new H.I.V. infections stable since 2000 even as the number of people living with the AIDS virus has risen, providing more opportunities for transmission.
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The remedies should include a stronger education campaign in high-risk populations and free and easily accessible testing to find infected people. Roughly one-quarter of all infected people are unaware of their status.
It has been three decades since AIDS made its appearance. There was hope not long ago that the nation was bringing infections under control. The recent bad news means that the crisis is still with us.
Emphasis: mine
