How is Obama Administration Doing on HIV/AIDS Initiatives?

Not bad according to this article in Bay Windows (Boston, MA):

Although we can’t deny the Bush Administration credit on international support of HIV/AIDS, it was openly hostile to any attempts to address core issues that drive the epidemic in our own country. They ignored science and supported abstinence-only programs despite the studies that demonstrate this strategy does not work. They also reduced funding for and did whatever possible to squash innovative and evidence-based interventions for gay men.



The Obama Administration has done just the opposite. The President appointed a gay man to run ONAP and has made it clear to the CDC that a focus on gay men in its HIV prevention plans is critical. The Administration also supports evidence based programs and did not include funding for abstinence-only programs in the President’s budget. Just last week, Congress passed a budget that demonstrated its commitment to science and did not include any set aside funds for abstinence-only programming.


The President has set three very specific goals for his Administration regarding the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic:

• Reduce new infections.
• Ensure access to quality care for all those living with HIV/AIDS.
• Reduce health care disparities that drive the epidemic.


These goals are to be addressed through his announced National HIV/AIDS Strategy. That process has already begun with fifteen Town Meetings which have been held all over the country in the last two months and three White House meetings on HIV and Youth, Women, and Housing. This process should result in a coherent domestic strategy with measureable outcomes, timelines and accountability.


There have been two other very important achievements over the past year in the battle against HIV/AIDS: the four year extension of the Ryan White Care Act, and the removal of the ban on using federal funds for needle exchange programs.
 
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