Monday, August 4, 2008

Ex-President Clinton to fight AIDS in US

Original Link: http://www.star-telegram.com/468/story/808089.html

Former President Bill Clinton said Monday that his foundation is going to focus its efforts on fighting AIDS in the United States, especially among blacks.

Speaking at an AIDS conference in Mexico City, Clinton said he was spurred to action after the U.S. Center for Disease Control reported that 40 percent more Americans are infected by HIV than previously estimated. The report released Saturday said nearly half of annual HIV infections in the United States are among black Americans.

"For Americans, this should be a wake up call," Clinton said. "Even as we keep working globally, we need to do much more to fight AIDS at home, and I intend to do so with my foundation."

Clinton flew to Mexico after touring Africa to see the work of the William J. Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative.

The foundation has negotiated agreements to lower the prices of rapid HIV tests and anti-AIDS drugs in the developing world and has collaborated with the Geveva-based UNITAID, a U.N.-backed fund that helps supply low-cost antiretroviral drugs.

No comments: