- Original Message -
From: "Gautam Mukunda" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2004 11:28 AM
Subject: Re: AIDs in Africa
> --- Dan Minette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Her sources seem pretty good to me. She also is
> > interested in your
> > sources, Gautam. I know that you are more
> > interested in the truth than any
> > particular program, and I know Neli feels the same
> > way. I am honestly
> > curious to see what is going on here. Maybe we can
> > actually push a little
> > towards a better plan.
>
> Dan - I' not in any sense claiming that the Bush
> Administration's position is ideal. Very far from
> that, in fact. I certainly agree with you that they
> aren't putting nearly enough effort on the C part. My
> major point, though, is that before the Administration
> focused on "ABC" the international AIDS community was
> pretty much ignoring it, and I would hope that they
> would get some credit for actually being willing to
> back something that works, as opposed to the
> traditional NGO position of strongly supporting
> policies that have no chance whatsoever of being
> effective.
Neli hoped she had time before she left to get the documentation for her
position, but she's gone to Germany. I've been trying to talk her into
joining the list. She says she wants to, so I'll send her the website
location for joining in a day or two.
Concerning the traditional NGO position: she remembers NGOs supporting ABC
back in the mid-90s. She has documentation from that time she thinks she
can access on the web. Further, she said ABC was taught in her country
"when she was a kid." This would pre-date Bush.
Second, on the funding. She's pretty sure she can get the exact quotes.
But, she definately remembers Bush promising 3 billion in the first year on
a Friday, asking for about 2.1 billion in the first year the next
Wednesday, and then accepting <1.4 billion without a peep. I think we
agree that saying that they found the difficulties in the infractructure
only after doing research between Friday and Wednesday is pretty shaky. If
he wasn't ready to spend 3 billion in the first year, he should not have
promised it.
Further, on the NGO position, she has seen no evidence of NGO opposition to
ABC. Working with the churches would have been the best way to reach
people, because of their contacts, but the Catholic church and some
evangelical churchs were opposed to C. AB can't work when the husband has
already been affected. Having women who were affected take birth control
to not have AIDs babies, before the drugs to improve the babies chances of
being HIV negative, also seemed quite reasonable. Indeed, from her
perspective, the administration has put in more roadblocks to ABC than
existed before.
I think this discussion doesn't step on any propriatary toes, but if it
does, just yell.
Dan M.
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