Obama and HIV

As with most things its a good news, bad news scenario. Clearly, Obama is more in tune with the AIDS epidemic than his predecessor. He has proposed a budget increase for domestic HIV prevention and direct services. Moreover, his administration will soon launch Act on AIDS, an ambitious 5 year social marketing campaign to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and encourage people to get tested. Sadly, however, his 2010 budget cuts funding to fight AIDS globally, cuts funding for federal AIDS housing, and fails to lift the federal ban on syringe exchange.

What people, including AIDS activists, need to realize is that he is playing with a shaky hand. Our nation is mired in the deepest recession in years, he is constantly under siege by the Republican party and he is trying desperately to hold onto a shaky coalition of "Blue Democrats," ie.. conservative Representatives from formerly Republican controlled states. He also has very ambitious plans for climate control and health care. So the question is: what are our expectations? I too, am a little disappointed but, I understand that he has to pick his battles right now.

Will the recession increase HIV infection?

The answer is, probably. We all know that one of the first casualties of economic down times are programs that help those in the most need. Its hard enough to make ends meet when there is less money and rising prices. People who were living check to check can find themselves out on the street if that check stops coming. Now comes word that two states with the highest numbers of persons living with HIV/AIDS, California and Pennsylvania, may be making significant cuts in vital HIV prevention and direct care services. The Governator (Arnold Swarzenegger) is proposing 55.5 million in funding cuts to HIV prevention, education and treatment programs. The Republican version of the state budget proposes to cut PA State AIDS Programs by 25%. Sadly, some of the proposed cuts could jeopardize federal matching funds, further spreading the pain.

It s not to late to send a message to state government legislators that cutting HIV/AIDS funding as well as other services to the poor and disabled in the midst of a surging epidemic is penny wise and pound foolish and will only exacerbate the problem.