Bush urges senate to approve Pepfar funding
07/07/2008
Ahead of this week's G8 summit in Japan, US president George W Bush has made one final push for congress to approve his much-vaunted Aids funding bill.
The President's Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (Pepfar) was initially launched in 2003, pledging $15 billion (£7.6 billion) in a five-year sponsorship programme to boost global Aids healthcare services.
Following the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from its 15 focus countries, President Bush this year called on the senate to approve a dramatically increased $50 billion funding package.
That money will include support for global malaria and tuberculosis initiatives, though its primary focus will be to boost global access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs which Pepfar has already brought to 1.73 million people across the globe.
Despite bilateral support for the Pepfar package, however, senate majority leader Harry Reid last month complained that a small number of Republicans were blocking the bill in a "confounding and indefensible" fashion.
Opponents to the bill have taken issue with the immense size of the financial package as well as the stipulation that 55 per cent of the money go towards funding treatment - rather than prevention - schemes.
But President Bush was unequivocal in his support for the renewed sponsorship, telling reporters: "It's very important that congress reauthorise this plan."
"One of my really important agenda items is going to ... rally our partners to make commitments and meet commitments," he added. "We'll also discuss additional steps to confront some other challenges, such as the need to train health care workers."
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