The AIDS epidemic has killed more than 40 million people since the first recorded cases in 1981, tripling child mortality and carving decades off life expectancy in the hardest-hit areas of Africa, where the cost of treatment put it out of reach. Horrified, then-President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress two decades ago created what is described as the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease.

The program, known as the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, partners with nonprofit groups to provide HIV/AIDS medication to millions around the world. It strengthens local and national health care systems, cares for children orphaned by AIDS and provides job training for people at risk.

Now, a few Republican lawmakers are endangering the stability of the program, which officials say has saved 25 million lives in 55 countries from Ukraine to Brazil to Indonesia. That includes the lives of 5.5 million infants born HIV-free.

    • MuhammadJesusGaySex@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The real joke is that they don’t even care about Americans regardless of skin color. Sure, they pander to white America. That’s because there’s a lot of them, and they’re dumb enough to fall for it. But republicans don’t care about you or me. I would also like to add that neither do democrats, but at least democrats aren’t actively trying to kill marginalized people. So, I guess they are the best of a bad situation.

    • SirWifflesprouts@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      No one lives in isolation. Even if you don’t see the value in humanitarian efforts and even if in your selfishness you don’t have the selfish wisdom to support US soft power projection, you should be smart enough to realize that the US does not exist in an impermeable bubble. Global health improves health at home.

      • Elivey@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I took medical anthropology recently and this is the best answer. Helping others, even if they seem too far away to affect you in your individualist isolationist country, will actually affect your health.

    • Rooty@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      “Why should I be concerned with my neighbour’s house being on fire?”

    • anthoniix@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      HIV originally came here from another country. If we weren’t doing this it would just continue to spread.