U.S. AIDS initiative brings hope, renewal for millions

On this Easter day, Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Christ and its uplifting metaphors of joy, hope and rebirth.
For many, however, the metaphors of fear, gloom and death wield far greater sway in their daily lives. Among them are the millions of people, including an increasingly large segment of children, who suffer the physical and social ravages of the AIDS epidemic.
Last week, an unlikely alliance of U.S. senators -- Michael DeWine, R-Ohio. and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. -- released a report that illustrated the spiraling impact of AIDS on children and the need for action to combat the epidemic.
The report, spearheaded by the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation and the International AIDS Trust, speaks of such hopelessness in compelling, raw data:
UThe number of children worldwide who have lost one or more parents to AIDS is expected to reach 25 million by the end of the decade.
UOf the estimated 40 million people worldwide who are living with the HIV virus, more than 2.5 million are under 15 and about 11.8 million are between 15 and 24.
UAbout 13.4 million children have lost one or more parents to AIDS.
DeWine, co-chairman of the Senate's Global AIDS Crisis Working Group, has been a longtime advocate for those afflicted with AIDS in the United States and the world. He's served as an aggressive watchdog over the president's commitment to fight AIDS.
President's plan
President Bush announced in February a five-year, $15 billion plan aimed at stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide. The plan would send $9 billion in new funding to help with prevention, treatment and care services at 14 of the most affected countries. So far, only $350 million of the total funding has been released.
DeWine has lobbied heavily to expedite that assistance. Too often, congressional hair-splitting has slowed the delivery of critically needed funding and services.
He speaks from experience, having visited many of the nations torn asunder by AIDS. He has seen firsthand how needed medicine and an enhanced medical infrastructure have meant the difference between life and death for thousands of children and adults.
Without continued fulfillment of Bush's initiative, "there will be a complete loss of hope" in many African countries," DeWine has lamented.
This season of renewal and hope is an opportune time then for Congress to heed the appeals of Ohio's senior senator and ensure the United States remains vigilant in the global attack on AIDS.