Shore up AIDS global fund

Orlando Sentinel: There was grim news to report this month on World AIDS Day. The ranks of those infected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, have swelled by almost 5 million in the past year to 40 million worldwide. This year's death toll from the disease is expected to top 3 million. A growing share of victims is women and children.
President Bush deserves credit for his 2003 pledge to triple U.S. spending on international AIDS prevention and treatment to $15 billion over five years. The U.S. investment so far has significantly increased the availability of lifesaving drugs for AIDS victims in Africa and the Caribbean.
Malaria
But most spending under Bush has been reserved for direct assistance to AIDS-stricken countries. More U.S. dollars need to be steered to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
The Global Fund, operating in 128 countries, is facing a financial shortfall. Effective anti-AIDS programs could start shutting down next year, even as the need grows.
U.S. contributions to the fund -- $435 million last year -- are critical because they attract matching donations from other countries.
International AIDS treatment and prevention is not just a moral obligation. It's an investment in global stability and national security. Without help, countries with AIDS epidemics could collapse into chaos and become breeding grounds for terrorism.