Congressman Fattah Issues Statement on World AIDS Day and Blood Safety in Africa
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), the leading House Democratic appropriator for scientific research, issues the following statement on the occasion of World AIDS Day, Thursday, December 1:
"It is an incredibly hopeful sign that current and past Presidents will gather on the 24th annual World AIDS Day this Thursday to talk about 'The Beginning of the End of AIDS.'
"We all have a role to play in smashing this worldwide scourge. I am pleased to have led the fight in Congress to fund and expand blood safety programs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Blood donation, testing and transfusion may be safe and commonplace in the U.S., but it requires massive effort and infrastructure reform to assure blood safety in developing nations, where these simple procedures can have the dire consequence of spreading HIV infection.
"President Obama is strongly committed both to emergency AIDS relief and to transitioning billions of American aid dollars to the Global Health Initiative, a long term sustainable approach to combating and eliminating HIV/AIDS. We have an obligation as Americans to support and assist the President in every way to win this battle and turn future World AIDS Days into a day of celebration."
Background -Congressman Fattah has led efforts to fund blood safety programs through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, including the Safe Blood for Africa Initiative. PEPFAR, since 2004, has achieved universal screening for AIDS in 14 target nations, including 12 in Africa. Congressman Fattah is senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies, appropriating funds for scientific research.
SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah
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