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Philadelphia Contact: Kaytee Riek, Health GAP, 267-334-6984

On Tax Day, AIDS activists target congressional leaders with nationwide prayer vigils:

“OUR TAX DOLLARS MUST GO TO FIGHT AIDS”

 WHEN: Tax Day, Wednesday, April 15^th, 2009 at 1:30pm                                      WHERE: Outside the Philadelphia office of Senator Arlen Specter, 600 Arch St.

WHAT: On Tax Day, hundreds of grassroots activists, community leaders, faith groups and concerned citizens across the country will gather in prayer at the offices of key congressional leaders who are responsible for the government’s budget. They will call for their tax dollars to be directed at fighting AIDS. The activists will light candles in memory of the 25 millions lives lost to the AIDS pandemic over the last 3 decades and peacefully demonstrate in support of $2.7 billion in 2010 for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, which is the US fair share. The activists will also call for each target to support lifting the federal ban on funding syringe exchange, which is the most effective intervention to reduce HIV without increasing rates of drug use.

WHO: Nearly 100 people living with HIV, drug users, religious leaders, and other concerned citizens from across Philadelphia will join hundreds more people from around the country. Sponsored locally by ACT UP Philadelphia, Drexel University Pre-medical Student Association, Health GAP, Proyecto Sol Filadelphia and RESULTS Philadelphia. The prayer vigils are sponsored nationally by Africa Action * American Medical Student Association * Health GAP * Maryknoll Office for Global Concern * Priority Africa Network * RESULTS * Student Global AIDS Campaign * University Coalitions for Global Health

 WHERE: Outside the Philadelphia office of Senator Arlen Specter, 600 Arch St. Additional vigils are being held nationwide outside the offices of key legislators responsible for deciding how the US government spends money. The specific locations are: San Francisco (Pelosi), Chicago (Jackson, Jr, Kirk, Durbin), White Plains NY (Lowey), and Las Vegas, NV (Reid)

 
WHY: The AIDS crisis, both in the US and worldwide, continues to expand while US efforts to fight the epidemic remain insufficient. In the 8 years of its existence, the Global Fund has saved an estimated 2.5 million lives through programs in 140 low-income countries that provide mosquito nets, malaria drugs, TB drugs and HIV treatment and prevention services to millions of people around the world. The Global Fund’s tremendous success is threatened by a serious funding shortage for the 2010 funding rounds. Two years ago, the Global Fund Board of Directors, on which the US government has a seat, voted to triple the size of the Fund. Rich countries challenged poor countries to deliver bigger, better and bolder grants. Poor countries responded, but funding to support all the high quality grants has not followed. Of the $8 billion needed to fill each high-quality grant for 2010, donors have pledged only $3 billion dollars. If this $5 billion funding gap is not resolved, the Global Fund will be forced to drastically cut existing and future grants to developing countries, jeopardizing the health of millions of poor people. The U.S. has a responsibility to ensure that the Global Fund, which has been an effective, multilateral vehicle to fight killer diseases around the world, is adequately funded to continue with its great work. The U.S. must lead donor nations by contributing its fair share to the Global Fund, which is based on the size of the U.S. economy. For 2009 and 2010 funding the U.S.’s fair share comes to a total of $2.7 billion (1/3 of the $8 billion in total need). Through these prayer vigils, activists will be asking key members of the congressional appropriations committee to support $2.7 billion dollars to the Global Fund.

At home, injection drug users are increasingly at risk of becoming infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through sharing used needles. A simple, inexpensive intervention, known as needle exchange, has been proven to dramatically reduce rates of HIV without increasing drug use. But for twenty years, the US government has barred any federal funds from going to these life-saving programs.

“Our tax dollars should go to fight AIDS at home and abroad. Senator Specter, in his leadership role, should support the US fair share of $2.7 billion for the Global Fund in 2010, and lift the federal ban on funding syringe exchange,” said Jose de Marco, an HIV+ member of Health GAP and ACT UP Philadelphia, and founder of Proyecto Sol Filadlephia. “With his support, millions of lives can be saved.”

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