Reflection PEPFAR 1

Visiting PEPFAR (President’s Emergency plan For AIDS Relief) this past week was an overwhelming and emotional experience. Before our visit this Wednesday, I would have classified myself as one of the millions of individuals who are not fully aware of the crisis of HIV/AIDS or of the steps that our country has taken as a global leader to combat this terrible disease. What astounded me even more was the statistics in Washington DC - an overwhelming 3 percent of the adult population has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS according to the Washington DC Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS Administration.

PEPFAR has achieved a number of advancements not only in educating but also treating the people infected with HIV/AIDS. According to the data we received from our presentation, PEPFAR has provided treatment to more than 2 million people, care to more than 10 million, and prevention of mother-to child treatment services during nearly 16 million pregnancies. This possibly was one of the most revolutionary programs created during the presidency of George W Bush. Before this presentation, I was unaware and uneducated about the advances that the United States has accomplished through the establishment of PEPFAR in combating such a terrible disease. This realization has demonstrated to me how the goal to educate the people of United States is still a constant struggle. I believe our local public schools need to become more involved in giving students the education to become informed and involved in preventing the spread of this disease.

The PEPFAR program has succeeded in educating and treating people in order to help to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in a number of countries around the world. With the global success and reputation PEPFAR is gaining, it is important for PEPFAR to continue to remain in direct contact with the doctors, nurses, and educators whom they teach to establish prevention care methods in order to make sure that the millions of dollars the United States has given to these countries (which have little to no healthcare) is properly used and distributed. It is my hope that PEPFAR will not just be a temporary program, but that it would evolve into a global inspiration for other countries to address the issue and foster education methods regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS. Eventually, I would love to see an increase in non-profit groups who raise money to send funds to a specific city or county such as Africa.

One of the reasons why I feel our UC World Politics class chose to visit PEPFAR is to help educate individuals such as myself to become more aware of the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS. In addition, I also understand the local problem that Washington DC itself is battling in order to educate and treat those who need assistance. With the mayoral election this fall, I find it interesting that the two leading candidates, Vincent Gray and Adrian Fently, have not made public announcements regarding what they plan to do - if anything - to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in the district.

Another viewpoint blog (written by Rowland Coleman) is that the United States should provide additional benefit to non-profits who work toward preventing the spread of the disease. This would reduce U.S. funds spent directly towards this global effort. While I do agree with his belief that non-profit organizations should be encouraged to become involved, I feel that, despite the billions of dollars spent on PEPFAR, a federal effort is essential to impact not only the United States, but the world. It is my hope that the United States can be a leader to inspire other international countries, schools, and non-profit groups to use their resources towards the betterment of not just their own society, but our world as a whole