April 24, 2005
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, on the occasion of Africa Malaria Day, issued a call for increased funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
“As we recognize Africa Malaria day, we need to do more to combat this disease in Africa and throughout the world,” said Lee. “The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the primary vehicle of US foreign assistance efforts to combat Malaria and Tuberculosis, and is a critical partner in the battle against AIDS.”
Later this week, Lee will send a letter, signed by more than 50 Representatives, to members of the House Appropriations Committee, calling for $6.7 billion in funding for global AIDS, TB, and malaria programs in FY06—with at least $1.5 billion of that going towards the Global Fund.
Malaria imposes its heaviest toll in Africa, where roughly 90 percent of the 1 million deaths from malaria worldwide occur each year. Africa Malaria Day 2005 marks the fifth anniversary of the Abuja Declaration, when senior representatives from 44 malaria-afflicted countries in Africa agreed to halve the world's malaria burden by 2010.
In the developing world, HIV/AIDS is often compounded by co-infection with tuberculosis and malaria. Due to a lack of available drugs to treat these diseases, TB and malaria are actually the leading killers of people living with HIV/AIDS. Last year, 1 million people died of malaria, 90 percent of who were children, while 2 million people died of TB.
To date, the Global Fund has approved $3.3 billion in funding to over 300 grants in 127 countries. 31 percent of this money is expected to be spent on malaria. The Global Fund has disbursed $1.1 billion, providing 1.35 million families with insecticide treated bed nets to prevent malaria and providing 300,000 people with the highly effective artemisinin combination treatment (ACT) for malaria.
Lee authored the bill to establish the framework for the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She was also a leader in the bipartisan effort to designate $15 billion for the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria, and she is currently leading efforts in Congress to focus US foreign assistance on the impact of AIDS on orphans and vulnerable children in developing countries.
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Barbara Lee Issues Call for Action on Africa Malaria Day
Calls for Increase in Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
(Washington, DC) – Congresswoman Barbara Lee, on the occasion of Africa Malaria Day, issued a call for increased funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
“As we recognize Africa Malaria day, we need to do more to combat this disease in Africa and throughout the world,” said Lee. “The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is the primary vehicle of US foreign assistance efforts to combat Malaria and Tuberculosis, and is a critical partner in the battle against AIDS.”
Later this week, Lee will send a letter, signed by more than 50 Representatives, to members of the House Appropriations Committee, calling for $6.7 billion in funding for global AIDS, TB, and malaria programs in FY06—with at least $1.5 billion of that going towards the Global Fund.
Malaria imposes its heaviest toll in Africa, where roughly 90 percent of the 1 million deaths from malaria worldwide occur each year. Africa Malaria Day 2005 marks the fifth anniversary of the Abuja Declaration, when senior representatives from 44 malaria-afflicted countries in Africa agreed to halve the world's malaria burden by 2010.
In the developing world, HIV/AIDS is often compounded by co-infection with tuberculosis and malaria. Due to a lack of available drugs to treat these diseases, TB and malaria are actually the leading killers of people living with HIV/AIDS. Last year, 1 million people died of malaria, 90 percent of who were children, while 2 million people died of TB.
To date, the Global Fund has approved $3.3 billion in funding to over 300 grants in 127 countries. 31 percent of this money is expected to be spent on malaria. The Global Fund has disbursed $1.1 billion, providing 1.35 million families with insecticide treated bed nets to prevent malaria and providing 300,000 people with the highly effective artemisinin combination treatment (ACT) for malaria.
Lee authored the bill to establish the framework for the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She was also a leader in the bipartisan effort to designate $15 billion for the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria, and she is currently leading efforts in Congress to focus US foreign assistance on the impact of AIDS on orphans and vulnerable children in developing countries.
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