Letter to the editor: Congress must keep up fight against HIV/AIDS
Congress has an opportunity right now to move us closer to the day we end HIV/AIDS by supporting one of the most effective disease-fighting tools in our global health arsenal. I went to Washington, D.C., to make sure it happens.
As a volunteer with the ONE Campaign, I went to Capitol Hill to meet with Rep. Chris Deluzio’s office and ask them to reauthorize the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The 20-year-old program, established by bipartisan lawmakers during President George W. Bush’s administration, has helped save 25 million lives from HIV/AIDS, put 20 million people on life-saving antiretroviral drugs and ensure 5.5 million babies were born HIV-free.
But far too many people still die of this preventable, treatable disease. Some 650,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2021, and the virus infects someone new every 30 seconds.
It is imperative that Congress reauthorize PEPFAR in 2023 so it can keep up its life-saving work. I thank Rep. Chris Deluzio’s staff for meeting with me and urge them to continue PEPFAR’s incredible success and support America’s commitment to fight the global AIDS crisis.
Jordan Hinds
McKees Rocks
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.